Islamic Bloc Nations Control One-Third of UN Rights Council Seats

(CNSNews.com) - In a mixed result for those concerned about the makeup and performance of the United Nations' Human Rights Council, Sri Lanka failed Wednesday to win another term, but bids by Pakistan and Bahrain were successful. Two African countries with poor human rights records, Gabon and Zambia, also attained seats on the Geneva-based body.

The U.N. General Assembly elected 15 countries to three-year terms on Wednesday. When the voting ended, the number of council members regarded as "free" had dropped by one, to 22 of a total 47. (In the HRC's inaugural May 2006 election, only 25 of the total 47 HRC members were ranked as "free" by Freedom House, a human rights advocacy group.)

Sixteen countries -- one third -- in the Human Rights Council are members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), a grouping that has drawn scrutiny during the first two years of the council's operation for promoting an agenda that critics say undermines the cause of international human rights. (Of the 16, only one -- Indonesia -- is defined as free by Freedom House.)

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