In a secret vote by the U.N. General Assembly, Russia lost in its bid to retain a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.
Russia lost its bid amid daily accusations that the country may be guilty of war crimes for its support of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s assault on the city of Aleppo. The incessant horrific bombing there by Russian-Syrian warplanes has prompted some U.S. and European leaders to threaten possible sanctions, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry saying a war crimes investigation may be warranted.
Before the vote, more than 80 human-rights and international aid organizations signed a letter urging U.N. members to block Russia’s election to the council.