Egypt wins seat on U.N. Human Rights Council

Despite strong opposition from human rights groups, Egypt won a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council after last Thursday’s election, the Toronto Star reported the following day. Stressing that Egypt’s human rights record “is full of serious human rights violations that have been practiced widely for long years,” human rights groups had urged U.N. General Assembly members not to vote for Egypt.

Egypt’s victory is an indication that the council, which replaces the much-maligned U.N. Human Rights Commission, is just as dubious as the previous body, according to critics. Alex Neve, the head of Amnesty International’s Canadian office, said that “all the fine things said last year when the council was created aren’t being played out in practice.”

Meanwhile, Belarus, an authoritarian state, failed to win a seat in the council.

For the full article, click here