The UN Human Rights Council on Friday (March 4th) approved by an overwhelming majority a resolution in favor of an international commission of inquiry into violations of human rights and humanitarian law in Ukraine after the Russian invasion .
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After the United Nations General Assembly’s massive vote earlier in the week demanding that Moscow end the conflict, Russia suffered yet another bitter defeat at the Human Rights Council, with the resolution passed by 32 votes for, 2 against (Russia and Eritrea) and 13 abstentions, including those of Venezuela, Cuba, China, India and Pakistan. This vote comes as the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Zaporijie, located in southern Ukraine, was hit on Friday by Russian army strikes which caused a fire, quickly extinguished by Ukrainian firefighters.
Call for the withdrawal of Russian troops
It is the first time in the Council’s history that a resolution has directly targeted Russia, according to a UN spokesperson. The resolution condemnshuman rights violations and abuses resulting from the aggression of the Russian Federation“. The text callsthe rapid and verifiable withdrawal of Russian troops and Russian-backed armed groups from the entire internationally recognized territory of Ukraine“, and requests the emergency establishment for an initial period of one year “an independent international commission of inquirythe Council’s highest level of investigation.
Investigators will be responsible forcollecting, collating and analyzing evidence of (…) violations“of human rights and international humanitarian law resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with a view to future trials, and to identify those responsible for these violations”so that they have to answer for their actions“. The Russian invasion caused great emotion in the world. Anti-war demonstrations and gestures of solidarity with Ukrainians have multiplied, in view of the bombardments and the exodus from Ukraine of around 1.2 million people, according to the latest UN figures.