Russia's presence in the UN Human Rights Council is an affront to common sense, human rights, and international peace. Membership on the Council entails a responsibility to uphold and promote universal respect for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Instead, by invading Ukraine and committing there atrocities that evidently amount to war crimes, Russia continuously disregards the basic right to life and violates international humanitarian law. The Russian Federation blatantly threatens the world with a nuclear war. Domestically, it persecutes journalists, human rights activists, LGBTQI+ communities, and dissidents, and violates basic rights to free speech and assembly.

Russia has no moral right to be part of an international body that promotes international cooperation in upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms. Acknowledging that peace and security, development and human rights are the pillars of the United Nations system and the foundations for collective security and well-being, we call for the UN General Assembly to convene immediately a special session to suspend the Russian Federation's right of membership in the Human Rights Council for committing gross and systematic violations of human rights.