Russia is defeated in its bid to regain a seat on the UN’s top human rights body

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia has been defeated in its bid to regain a seat in the United Nations premiere human rights body by a significant majority in an election in the General Assembly, which voted last year to suspend Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine. Russia competed against Albania and Bulgaria for two seats on the Geneva-based Human Rights Council representing the East European regional group. In Tuesday’s secret ballot vote, Bulgaria got 160 votes, Albania got 123 votes and Russia just 83 votes. In Tuesday’s election, the only other competitive race was in the Latin America and Caribbean group where Cuba, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Peru competed for three seats. Peru was the loser.