(Geneva, October 10, 2024) – The United Nations Human Rights Council on October 10, 2024, today adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Russia, by a vote of 20 to 8, with 19 abstentions.
The resolution renews for another year the mandate of the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation. The Human Rights Council named Mariana Katzarova to the role on April 4, 2023.
The resolution was presented by a core group consisting of Luxembourg, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
The following quote can be attributed to Lucy McKernan, deputy Geneva director at Human Rights Watch:
“The Kremlin has intensified a vicious crackdown on independent media and any dissenting voices in the country, silencing them through intimidation, harassment, and harsh, abusive punishment. By extending the special rapporteur’s mandate, the Human Rights Council is ensuring continued attention on this dire human rights situation and has sent a strong message to Russia’s civil society that their calls for international scrutiny are being heard.”
