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China, Russia, Cuba win UN rights council seats

Published:Wednesday | November 13, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Irina Bokova (centre left) from Bulgaria, the director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, reacts to her re-election with supporters in the assembly hall of the 37th session of the General Conference of UNESCO, in Paris, yesterday. Several heads of state and some 150 ministers and delegates from all 195 UNESCO member states gathered in Paris last week to discuss its development strategy for the next four years. - AP Photo

China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Cuba and Algeria won seats yesterday on the UN Human Rights Council, riling independent human rights groups who said their election undermined the rights watchdog's credibility.

The General Assembly elected 14 new members to the 47-seat Geneva-based council, which can shine a spotlight on rights abuses by adopting resolutions when it chooses to do so. It also has dozens of special monitors watching problem countries and major issues ranging from executions to drone strikes.

Britain, France, the Maldives, Macedonia, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia and South Africa were also elected to three-year terms.

Human Rights Watch noted that five of the new council members, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Algeria, have refused to let UN investigators visit to check alleged abuses. China, Russia and Algeria have 10 or more unfulfilled requests for visits by UN experts, some dating back to 2000, the group said. Saudi Arabia and Vietnam each have seven outstanding requests, they said.

"Countries that haven't allowed UN experts appointed by the council to visit have a lot of explaining to do," said Peggy Hicks, global advocacy director of the New York-based non-government group. "It's like hiring someone, then not allowing them to enter the office."

- AP