Iraq loses membership in UNHRC for suppressing protests
Fourteen countries have joined the UN Human Rights Council after Iraq lost its membership as a candidate for the Asia-Pacific region on the UN Human Rights Council.
Iraq lost in the Asian Group competition to four seats against Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and the Marshall Islands, the Washington Post reported.
It added that Iraq got only 121 votes lagging behind Indonesia 174 votes, Japan and the Republic of Korea with 165 votes and Marshall Islands 123 votes.
She indicated that the vacant seats for the Asian Group were four and the number of applicants was five.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry announced the selection of Iraq as vice-president of the UN Human Rights Council in December 2019.
Member of the House of Representatives Mohamed Karbouli commented on Iraq`s loss saying: "Who will get the benefit when Iraq loses membership in the UN Human Rights Council?... Did the government consider the opinion of the international community when it narrowed the freedom of opinion and chased the media and arrested activists and assassinated their free speech?"