Groups urge U.N. to suspend Saudi Arabia from rights council...

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called on the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday to suspend Saudi Arabia from the U.N. Human Rights Council until a Saudi-led military coalition stops killing civilians in Yemen.

“Saudi Arabia has amassed an appalling record of violations in Yemen while a Human Rights Council member,” said Philippe Bolopion, deputy director for global advocacy at Human Rights Watch. “U.N. member countries should stand with Yemeni civilians and suspend Saudi Arabia immediately.”

A Saudi-led coalition began an air campaign in Yemen in March 2015 to defeat Iran-allied Houthi rebels.

Saudi Arabia is in its final year of a three-year term on the 47-member Human Rights Council.

The Saudi mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A two-third majority vote by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly can suspend a state from the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council for persistently committing gross and systematic violations of human rights during its membership. Full story...

Related posts:

1. UN removes Saudi Arabia from Human Rights blacklist after just one week...
2. Saudi Arabia used U.S. cluster bombs on civilians...
3. United Nations panel finds evidence that Saudi-led coalition has conducted...
4. Saudi Arabia arrests Samar Badawi, human rights advocate...
5. Thousands behind bars in Saudi Arabia, activist says...
6. Fury after Saudi Arabia 'chosen to head key UN human rights panel'
7. Saudi Arabia sinks UN war crimes probe in Yemen, Washington stays silent...