Foreign Minister Soini: US departure from UN Human Rights Council 'a setback'

Russia calls out US ‘cynicism’ for rights council pullout

"No one gloats over the United States' withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council".

"You know, we're actually self-governing in this country".

The announcement came after the top United Nations human rights official criticised Washington for separating migrant children from their parents who are seeking asylum after arrival from Mexico.

The decision comes days after the United Nations criticized the Trump Administration for separating migrant children from their parents at the U.S./Mexico border in Texas.

"The UN Human Rights Council has played an important role in such countries as North Korea, Syria, Myanmar and South Sudan, but all Trump seems to care about is defending Israel", said Human Rights Watch executive director Ken Roth.

Rep. Eliot Engel, the House Foreign Affairs top Democrat released a statement on Tuesday that showcases widespread condemnation of the organization throughout the American Senate.

Haley has been the driving force behind withdrawing from the human rights body, unprecedented in the 12-year history of the council.

China now sits on the council and rights groups have repeatedly criticized Beijing for seeking to stifle criticism of its own conduct.

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Russian Federation says that the USA exit from the United Nations' Human Rights Council reflects Washington's unilateralist approach to global affairs. However, Haley notes how "this step is not a retreat from human rights commitments". Under President George W. Bush, the United States withdrew from the council's predecessor, the UN Human Rights Commission, citing similar issues. She lambasted the council for "its chronic bias against Israel" and lamented the fact that its membership includes accused human rights abusers such as China, Cuba, Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

And the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank close to the Trump administration, defended the move, calling the council "notably incurious about the human rights situations in some of the world's most oppressive countries".

The US and Australia cast the only no votes at the time, while the Israeli ambassador in Geneva attacked the council for "spreading lies against Israel".

The United States has announced it is withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council saying the organisation is "not worthy of its name".

"Sadly, we know that USA absence won't stop the Council from creating prejudiced commissions of inquiry, whose reports get sent to The Hague, or from adopting biased resolutions that are quoted worldwide, affecting the hearts and minds of millions worldwide", he told The Times of Israel. Brett Schaefer, a senior fellow, pointed out that Trump could have withdrawn immediately after taking office but instead gave the council 18 months to make changes.

Under President George W Bush, the U.S. boycotted the body for three years after its establishment 12 years ago. "Rather than altering those practices, it is now threatening United States companies, workers and farmers who have done nothing wrong".

"When the Human Rights Council was first stood up back in 2006 the ambassador to the United Nations at the time was John Bolton, who persuaded then-President Bush not to join the body for the reasons that Haley today spelled out", said Al Jazeera's Jordan.

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