Russia is trying to return to the UN Human Rights Council after being expelled last April following its invasion of Ukraine, reports CNN.

Russia is listed on the UN website as a candidate for the 2024-2026 Human Rights Council elections, which will be held on October 10.

Membership is based on equitable geographical distribution with two vacant seats in the regional group of Eastern European states, according to the United Nations. Russia, together with Albania and Bulgaria, have now declared their candidacy for this region.

According to a Russian position paper obtained by CNN, Russia considers the Human Rights Council a “key body in the UN systems.”

A position paper, which Russia is circulating among UN members to garner support, says that Russia “considers it important to prevent the growing trend of turning the Human Rights Council into an instrument that serves the political will of a group of countries that punish non-governmental organizations loyal to their independent of domestic and foreign policy”.

“If elected, the Russian Federation will focus on this issue. We will firmly promote the principles of cooperation and the strengthening of mutually respectful constructive dialogue within the framework of the Council to find appropriate solutions on human rights,” the position paper reads.

UN General Assembly

On April 7, 2022, he voted to expel Russia from the Human Rights Council.

Russia declared the decision “illegal” and “politically motivated”.