China, Russia in line for top UN human rights body

China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam are among the nations running unopposed for seats on the Human Rights Council, the UN's highest rights watchdog body, a prospect that has upset independent human rights groups.
The General Assembly today will elect 14 new members to the 47-seat, Geneva-based council, which can shine a spotlight of publicity and censure on rights abuses by adopting resolutions when it chooses to do so.
It also has dozens of special monitors watching problem countries and major issues ranging from executions to drone strikes.
New York-based Human Rights Watch pointed out that five of the candidates China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Algeria have refused to let independent UN human rights monitors visit to investigate alleged abuses.

"Countries that haven't allowed UN experts appointed by the council to visit have a lot of explaining to do," said Peggy Hicks, global advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "It's like hiring someone, then not allowing them to enter the office."
Seats on the council are allotted to regions, and countries from those regions select candidates for those seats. Sometimes the elections are contested and sometimes not. All 193 members of the General Assembly can vote on today.

The Asian group has unopposed candidates for its four seats: China, the Maldives, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. Saudi Arabia had been expected to run into trouble in the General Assembly vote after it won and then a day later rejected a seat on the Security Council for 2014-2015, an unprecedented move.

The kingdom was apparently piqued over policy differences with the United States on Mideast issues, including how Washington has handled the Egypt and Syria crises, and warming ties between the US and Iran, the Saudis' regional foe.
Until last week, Jordan had also been a candidate for the Asian group. But then it dropped out of the Human Rights Council race, clearing the way for Saudi Arabia to win unopposed. Jordan, meanwhile, is angling to replace Saudi Arabia on the Security Council.
"Jordan's departure from the Asia slate is a significant blow, as the absence of competition means that states such as Saudi Arabia can be elected to the council without real scrutiny of their records," Hicks said.