| Number: | ES-11/3 |
| Organ: | GA |
| Date: | 7 April |
| Year: | 2022 |
| Meeting: | 11th Emergency Special Session (continued) |
| Code: | A/RES/ES-11/3 |
| Document: | https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3967950?ln=en |
| For: | 93 |
| Abstention: | 58 |
| Against: | 24 |
| Absent: | 18 |
| Subject: | Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council |
| Result: | Resolution adopted |
United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES‑11/3 is a resolution of the eleventh emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly, adopted on 7 April 2022. The resolution suspended the membership of Russia in the United Nations Human Rights Council over "grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine [...] including gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights" committed by Russia, and was passed with 93 votes in favour, 24 against, and 58 abstentions.[1]
See main article: 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, War crimes in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and Bucha massacre.
On 1 April 2022, video footage of the Bucha massacre became public, linking the massacre to the Russian Armed Forces.[2] [3] [4] [5] On 4 April, citing the Bucha massacre, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced that the United States would seek the removal of Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.[6] At the time, Russia was serving a three-year elected term on the council.[7]
Draft resolution A/ES-11/L.4 was introduced on 6 April 2022.[8] [9] Previously, only Libya had its membership rights stripped from the body, as a result of the actions of the Gaddafi regime against anti-government protestors in 2011.[10] [11] Prior to the vote, the Russian delegation to the United Nations privately circulated a letter urging countries not to vote in favour or to abstain on the resolution, stressing that doing so would impact bilateral relations.[12]
On 7 April 2022, the UN General Assembly, which required a two-thirds majority, adopted the resolution with 93 votes in favour and 24 countries voting against. 58 countries abstained. With Russia's membership valid through 2023,[13] the Russian delegation announced it had quit the Human Rights Council earlier that day in expectation of the vote.[14]