According to a recent statement by Human Rights Watch, Egypt and Vietnam are poised to secure seats on the United Nations Human Rights Council, despite concerns about their qualifications for membership. The UN General Assembly is set to elect new members to the council in a noncompetitive vote on October 14, 2025.
Out of the 14 member states vying for three-year terms on the 47-nation Human Rights Council, Egypt and Vietnam are among the most controversial candidates. Vietnam, which is currently a member of the council, is seeking re-election.
Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch, expressed concern about the lack of competition in the voting process, stating, “Noncompetitive UN votes permit abusive governments like Egypt and Vietnam to become Human Rights Council members, threatening to make a mockery of the Council.” He urged UN member states to reconsider their support for these countries, which have a history of human rights violations.
Egypt, along with Angola, Mauritius, and South Africa, are running for four African seats on the council. In addition, India, Iraq, and Pakistan are seeking seats for the four Asian seats, while Chile and Ecuador are unopposed for the two seats available for Latin America and the Caribbean. In the Western group, Italy and the United Kingdom are competing for two seats, while Estonia and Slovenia are vying for two seats in Central and Eastern Europe.
Under General Assembly Resolution 60/251, which created the Human Rights Council in 2006, member states are urged to consider a candidate’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights before casting their votes. Council members are required to uphold the highest standards of human rights in their own countries and cooperate fully with the Council.
However, with only a simple majority needed to secure a seat on the Human Rights Council, it is unlikely that any of the candidates will be rejected. Nonetheless, Human Rights Watch urges member states to refrain from supporting countries with a track record of human rights abuses and a lack of qualifications for council membership.
Egypt, in particular, has faced criticism for its government’s continued repression of dissent and peaceful activism. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s administration has been accused of committing serious human rights abuses with little accountability, including the killing of peaceful protesters and widespread torture of detainees. The government also restricts its citizens’ ability to engage with the Human Rights Council and retaliates against those who do so. It has also ignored requests from UN experts to visit the country.
Meanwhile, the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam maintains strict control over political power and suppresses basic rights such as freedom of expression, assembly, association, and religion. Human rights activists and bloggers face harassment, arrest, and detention.
In addition to Egypt and Vietnam, there are concerns about the qualifications of other candidates. Mauritius and the UK, for instance, have signed a treaty recognizing Mauritius’ sovereignty over the Chagos Islands but have failed to address the ongoing human rights violations against the Chagossian people. The UK forcibly displaced the Chagossians between 1965 and 1973 to allow the US to build a military base. Human Rights Watch calls on both countries to fulfill their international obligations by allowing the Chagossians to return to their homeland and providing reparations for their displacement.
Meanwhile, Angola’s President João Lourenço has pledged to protect human rights, but the country’s security forces have been accused of using excessive force against political activists and peaceful protesters. South Africa, on the other hand, has been praised for its strong stance on accountability for human rights violations in Palestine but has faced criticism for its failure to address similar violations by major powers such as Russia and China.
Human Rights Watch also raises concerns about the human rights records of other candidates, including India, which has denied access to UN experts and has faced criticism for its treatment of religious minorities. Pakistan has been urged to stop using counterterrorism and sedition laws to intimidate critics and repeal its blasphemy laws. Iraq has faced international criticism for its criminalization of same-sex relations and violence and discrimination against LGBT individuals. Ecuador and Chile, while praised for their human rights efforts, still face challenges such as attacks on judicial independence and discrimination against marginalized communities.
In addition to these concerns, Human Rights Watch emphasizes the importance of financial support for the Human Rights Council’s work. With ongoing financial challenges at the UN, it is critical for member states to pay their dues and contribute to the council’s investigations into human rights violations around the world. This includes investigations into major powers such as China’s treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the US’s extrajudicial killings of alleged narcotics traffickers at sea.
“The Human Rights Council has played a crucial role in investigating abuses in countries like Syria, Myanmar, North Korea, and others,” stated Charbonneau. “It is vital for member states to fulfill their financial obligations to ensure that independent human rights investigations can continue.”
