US Secretary of State: "Russia Attacks Civilians... Should Be Stripped of UN Human Rights Council Membership"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Seulgina Cho] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken harshly condemned the Russian military for attacking not only Ukrainian infrastructure but also civilians at the United Nations Human Rights Council on the 1st (local time), proposing the removal of Russia's membership on the council. Secretary Blinken criticized Russia's human rights abuses and also mentioned China and North Korea.

According to CNN and others, Secretary Blinken stated in a pre-recorded video message at the high-level session of the UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland, that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is "attacking schools, hospitals, and residential buildings." He raised his voice saying, "(The Russian military) is destroying key infrastructure that provides drinking water, gas, and electricity to millions of people across Ukraine," and "They are shelling civilian buses, cars, and even ambulances."

Secretary Blinken requested the removal of Russia's membership on the council, saying, "It is reasonable to ask whether a member state (Russia) that is occupying another UN member state while causing horrific human rights abuses and immense humanitarian suffering should be allowed to remain on this council." Russia is currently one of the 47 member states on the council.

He criticized that even at this moment, Russia's violations of international law are increasing, citing summary executions, enforced disappearances, torture, and persecution of ethnic minorities occurring in the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed in 2014. He also added that within Russia, poisonings and detentions of human rights groups and political opponents are taking place.

Secretary Blinken urged Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the UN Human Rights Council must "send a united message to immediately stop unjustified attacks and withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Furthermore, Secretary Blinken continued his criticism of China and others who do not hold Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine.

He said, "While we are focused on the Ukraine crisis, it is not the only region requiring the committee's attention," mentioning Belarus, China, and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Regarding Belarus, which opened the door to the invasion by conducting joint military exercises with Russia, he pointed out that citizens who held peaceful protests were detained. Concerning China, he criticized the ongoing genocide and crimes against the Uyghurs and minority groups in Xinjiang.

Secretary Blinken urged, "The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should promptly release reports on the situation in those regions," and also pointed out human rights abuses occurring in Burma (Myanmar), Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.

He said, "Some governments claim that sovereignty gives them the right to do whatever they want within their borders," and added, "It is no coincidence that many governments making such claims systematically violate human rights."

Meanwhile, at the UN Human Rights Council on the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also delivered a video speech. However, UN ambassadors collectively walked out of the meeting room immediately after his speech began, effectively boycotting it. Originally, Minister Lavrov was scheduled to attend the meeting in person, but the European Union (EU) imposed additional sanctions banning Russian aircraft from entering regional airspace, leading him to deliver the speech via video instead.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.