UNHRC vote draws fire over Egypt, Vietnam candidacies

Despite facing widespread criticism for their human rights records, Egypt and Vietnam are poised to secure seats on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in an upcoming vote scheduled for 14 October 2025, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).

In a statement released this week, HRW warned that both countries are “woefully unfit” for membership on the UN’s top human rights body and that their inclusion risks undermining the Council’s credibility. The two nations are among 14 contenders seeking three-year terms on the 47-member Council, beginning in January 2026. Vietnam, already serving as a member, is seeking re-election.

“Noncompetitive UN votes permit abusive governments like Egypt and Vietnam to become Human Rights Council members, threatening to make a mockery of the Council,” said Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch, urging UN member states not to “hand Council seats on a silver platter to serial rights violators”.

The upcoming election is largely symbolic, with most candidates running unopposed. Egypt is vying for one of four African seats alongside Angola, Mauritius, and South Africa.

India, Iraq, and Pakistan join Vietnam in contesting the four seats allocated to Asia. Chile and Ecuador are unopposed for the Latin America and Caribbean region, while Italy and the United Kingdom seek election from the western European group. Estonia and Slovenia are candidates from central and eastern Europe.

Under UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251, which established the Human Rights Council in 2006, member states are expected to “uphold the highest standards” in promoting and protecting human rights. However, HRW contends that the reality often diverges sharply from this mandate.

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Since candidates only require a simple majority of votes in the 193-member General Assembly, HRW noted that it is almost certain that all contenders will win seats. Nevertheless, it called on member states to withhold votes from governments “demonstrably unqualified” due to serious abuses.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s administration stands accused of widespread repression, including arbitrary detention of peaceful activists, systematic torture, and extrajudicial killings. Human Rights Watch has alleged that such practices amount to crimes against humanity.

Cairo has also been criticised for preventing civil society representatives from engaging with the UNHRC and for ignoring repeated requests from UN experts to visit the country.

In Vietnam, the ruling Communist Party maintains tight control over political expression and public discourse. Freedom of speech, assembly, association, and religion is heavily curtailed. Activists and journalists frequently face harassment, arbitrary detention, and travel restrictions.

 A report by HRW also highlighted human rights concerns involving several other nations contesting seats.

Mauritius and the UK, it noted, have yet to fully address historical abuses linked to the forced displacement of the Chagossian people between 1965 and 1973. Although both governments recently signed a treaty recognising Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, HRW said this fails to deliver justice or the right of return for the Chagossians.

Angola has pledged reforms but continues to see its security forces use excessive force against peaceful demonstrators. South Africa, which has taken strong international positions on issues such as Palestine, has been urged to apply the same standards to rights abuses by major powers, including Russia and China.

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In Asia, India has been criticised for restricting access to UN experts and for what HRW described as a climate of impunity surrounding attacks on religious minorities. Pakistan, meanwhile, has been urged to repeal its blasphemy laws and halt the misuse of counterterrorism legislation against critics.

Iraq drew condemnation for a 2024 law criminalising same-sex relations and gender expression, with HRW citing widespread violence and discrimination against LGBT individuals. In Ecuador, security forces have been accused of serious abuses following President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” earlier this year.

The UK and Italy, both running from the Western European group, also face scrutiny. London has been urged to stop prosecuting peaceful protesters supporting Palestinian rights and climate action, while Rome has been criticised for obstructing sea rescues of migrants and cooperating with Libyan forces accused of abuses.

The Human Rights Council remains a key global forum for investigating violations in conflict zones and authoritarian states. It has conducted inquiries into Syria, Myanmar, North Korea, Ukraine, and Israel-Palestine, among others. Recently, it launched probes into abuses in Afghanistan and extended a fact-finding mission for Sudan.

For these investigations to remain effective, HRW stressed that the Council requires sufficient financial support. The UN continues to face a funding shortfall following years of delayed payments, particularly after the Trump administration’s decision to halt contributions.

“The Human Rights Council has helped save countless lives through its independent investigations, which deter governments and armed groups from committing further abuses,” Charbonneau said. “It is in every country’s interest to ensure the Council remains adequately funded and free from political compromise.”

As the UN General Assembly prepares to vote, observers warn that the inclusion of governments accused of widespread rights abuses could weaken the Council’s moral authority, raising questions about whether the world’s premier human rights body is living up to its founding principles.