Fifty-eight countries, including South Africa, Mexico, Egypt, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Cambodia, stayed away from the decision-making process.
Countries voting against the resolution were Russia, China, Cuba, and North Korea, among others.
When the House of Representatives met to examine the resolution, it marked the beginning of a special emergency session to discuss the conflict in Ukraine.
The meeting came as Ukraine accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
This past weekend, photos and accounts have emerged from the city of Bucha, a suburb of the capital, Kyiv, where hundreds of civilian bodies were found in the streets and in mass graves following Russia’s withdrawal from the area.
The Ukrainian Ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, encouraged nations to vote in favor of the resolution before the voting took place.
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, welcomed those who voted to kick Russia out of the UN Security Council, adding that “war criminals have no place in UN entities geared at safeguarding human rights.”
The 47-member council had Russia in office for a three-year term.
The United Nations’ Human Rights Council is charged with the responsibility of ensuring respect for basic human rights across the globe.