CNN –
Russia is formally seeking readmission to the United Nations Human Rights Council, nearly 18 months after it was suspended from the body following its invasion of Ukraine.
The country is listed on the UN website as a candidate for the election of Council members for the 2024-2026 term. The vote is scheduled to take place on October 10th.
Any move to reinstate Russia would be met with anger in the West, as several leading NATO countries repeatedly insisted that Moscow’s illegal invasion of a neighboring state would bar the country from membership in international bodies.
Russia has been accused of numerous human rights violations during its war in Ukraine, and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for its president, Vladimir Putin, over an alleged plot to deport Ukrainian children to Russia.
According to Russia’s position paper, obtained by CNN, Russia considers the Human Rights Council to be a “key organ of the United Nations systems.”
The position paper, which Russia is distributing to UN members to drum up support, says Moscow “considers it important to prevent the increasing trend of turning the Human Rights Council into an instrument that serves the political will of a group of people.” Countries that punish non-punishment-loyal governments for their independent domestic and foreign policies.”
Russia was removed from the body in April 2022, weeks after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Membership of the Council is based on a balanced geographical distribution, with two seats vacant in the Eastern European States regional group. Russia as well as Albania and Bulgaria are said to have announced their candidacy for this region.
Russia claimed in its position paper that if re-elected to the body, it would “strongly promote the principles of cooperation and strengthening constructive, mutually respectful dialogue.”
However, Western countries are expected to mount strong opposition to the proposal ahead of the vote in October.
A Human Rights Council commission said on Monday there was “ongoing evidence that Russian forces are committing war crimes in Ukraine” and claimed that attacks on the country included “unlawful attacks using explosive weapons, attacks on civilians, sexual and gender-based torture.” -based violence and attacks on energy infrastructure.”
When voting to exclude Russia from the Council during the UN General Assembly in April 2022, 93 of the 193 UN countries supported the move to remove Moscow from the Council, while 24 voted against and 58 abstained.
China, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Syria and Vietnam were among those opposed to the move alongside Russia, while Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Egypt and Saudi Arabia were among those who abstained.
Russia joined the council in January 2021 as one of 15 countries elected for a three-year term.
It was the first country to be removed from the council since Libya in 2011 after its then-leader Muammar Gaddafi repressed political protesters.
Russia remains one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and there is no clear legal framework to remove it from that post.
Moscow last took over the chairmanship of this council in April, whose 15 members change every month.