The U.N. General Assembly is set to vote Thursday on whether to remove Russia from the Human Rights Council because of its action in Ukraine.
Two-thirds of the 193 member states would have to vote in favor of removing Russia.
The council, which is based in Geneva, is largely symbolic, but it can authorize investigations into human rights violations.
Russia is in its second year of a three-year term on the council.
Earlier this week, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called Russia’s presence on the council a “farce” and called for its removal.
Removing Russia from the Human Rights Council will create a dangerous precedent, UN Secretary General’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said during a briefing Wednesday.
"On the issue that's being considered in the General Assembly resolution tomorrow [on April 7, regarding suspension of Russia from UN Human Rights Council - TASS], that is an issue for Member States to decide, and the Secretary General's position […] remains unchanged," the spokesman said.
On March 29, Dujarric said, answering a question regarding an initiative to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council, that “there's a certain level of concern about the setting of a dangerous precedent.”
Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said speaking at a news conference that Russia viewed West’s attempts to remove the country from the United Nations Human Rights Council as unbelievable.
He said: "This is again unprecedented and this will not facilitate or encourage or be helpful to what is happening between Russia and the Ukrainian peace talks," Nebenzya said.
