Saudis Lose Bid for Seat on UN Human Rights Council

Saudi Arabia failed in its bid to become a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for its criminal record against activists.

“The HRC elections today delivered a stunning rebuke to Saudi Arabia under Mohammed bin Salman,” tweeted Bruno Stagno, a deputy executive director at Human Rights Watch, referring to the country’s crown prince.
“Only country not elected, shunned by a majority of the UN. The kingdom reaped what it deserves for its serious violations of human rights and war crimes abroad,” he added.

Soon enough, Human Rights Watch welcomed the result, and said in a tweet that Saudi Arabia’s failure to win a seat on the Human Rights Council was a welcome reminder of the need for more competition in the UN elections.

“Serial rights abusers should not be rewarded with seats on the Human Rights Council,” said Louis Charbonneau, U.N. director for New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch.

Saudi Arabia, which wields financial power in the halls of the United Nations, failed by seven votes to win one of four available seats in the Asia-Pacific regional group.

The kingdom has been involved in a lengthy war in neighboring Yemen that has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The Saudi crown prince has also come under international scrutiny in the aftermath of the murder and dismemberment two years ago of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Source: Agencies