The UN suspended Russia from its seat on the Human Rights Council because of the atrocities committed in Ukraine.
The proposal was introduced earlier in the week by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
The bodies were found after Moscow left the area. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of war crimes after seeing the aftermath on Monday. The Kremlin has denied targeting civilians in its military actions in Ukraine.
Thomas-Greenfield said Tuesday that Russia's membership on the council hurts its credibility and it is just plain wrong.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in New York City, U.S., March 4, 2022.The resolution to strip Russia of its seat on the Human Rights Council passed with 93 votes in favor, 24 against and 58 abstentions.
Russia, China, Iran, and Syria voted against the resolution. India did not vote.
Members of the U.N. Human Rights Council are not eligible for reelection after two consecutive terms, even though they are expected to uphold high human rights standards.
Libya has been suspended from the council. The North African country was suspended in 2011.
Ahead of the vote, Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya galvanized members to take the step of suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council.
Bucha and dozens of other Ukrainian cities and villages, where thousands of peaceful residents have been killed, tortured, raped, abduction and robbed by the Russian army, are an example of how far the Russian Federation has gone from its initial declarations in the Human Rights.
He said that a no vote means pulling a gun and siding with Russia.
Zelenskyy called for a tribunal to investigate and prosecute Russian war crimes.
He said that the Russian military and those who gave them orders must be brought to justice.
Zelenskyy appeared before the international body after Ukrainian claims that at least 300 people were tortured and killed by Russian troops.
Over the weekend, the Russian invasion sparked renewed global outrage as gruesome images of bodies scattered across the streets, some with their hands tied and gunshot wounds to the back of the head, emerged.
NATO is working with the UN's International Criminal Court to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.
It is a war crime to target and kill civilians. The alliance chief said all the facts must be established and those responsible for the atrocities must be brought to justice.
The alliance had reliable evidence of war crimes in the cities of Bucha and other places in Ukraine, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
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