HRW urges UN states to vote against Saudi Arabia’s bid for rights council seat

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged UN member states to vote against Saudi Arabia’s bid to take a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. The UN General Assembly is set to hold elections for 15 three-year terms on the 47-nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Tuesday, but HRW has warned that a lack of candidates running for seats may result in “problematic” countries winning spots by default.

Louis Charbonneau, UN director at HRW said that ” Saudi Arabia have not only committed massive rights violations at home, but it has tried to undermine the international human rights system they’re demanding to be a part of,” Charbonneau said in Thursday’s statement. “Saudi Arabia has threatened to withdraw millions of dollars in UN funding to stay off the secretary-general’s annual ‘list of shame’ for violations against children,” HRW said.