UN rights body to hold emergency debate on Ukraine situation

This image grabbed from a screen shows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking via a video at the opening of the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 28, 2022. The ongoing 49th session of the UNHRC has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week. (Xinhua)

GENEVA, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week.

The decision was made following a roll-call vote of 29 votes in favor, five against and 13 abstentions.

At the opening of the session, Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), said via video link that the escalation of "military operations" by Russia in Ukraine was leading to escalating human rights violations.

The Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine is continuing its work and UN humanitarian agencies will step up their operations in the country, said the UN chief.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet told the session that during the period from Thursday morning to Sunday night, her office had recorded 406 civilian casualties, namely 102 deaths and 304 injured.

The 49th session of the UNHRC, which kicked off on Monday, will last until April 1. 

This image grabbed from a screen shows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking via a video at the opening of the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 28, 2022. The ongoing 49th session of the UNHRC has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week. (Xinhua)

This image grabbed from a screen shows Yevheniia Filipenko, permanent representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Office in Geneva, speaking at the opening of the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 28, 2022. The ongoing 49th session of the UNHRC has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week. (Xinhua)

This image grabbed from a screen shows Federico Villegas, president of UN Human Rights Council, announcing the voting results on an emergency debate at the opening of the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 28, 2022. The ongoing 49th session of the UNHRC has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week. (Xinhua)

This image grabbed from a screen shows Gennady Gatilov, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, speaking at the opening of the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 28, 2022. The ongoing 49th session of the UNHRC has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week. (Xinhua)

This image grabbed from a screen shows UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet speaking at the opening of the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 28, 2022. The ongoing 49th session of the UNHRC has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week. (Xinhua)

This image grabbed from a screen shows delegates attending the opening of the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), held at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 28, 2022. The ongoing 49th session of the UNHRC has decided to hold an emergency debate on the situation in Ukraine later this week. (Xinhua)