100 Diplomats Leave Courtroom as Russian Foreign Minister speaks at UN Human Rights Forum

GENEVA – More than 100 diplomat from about 40 Western countries and allies, including Japan came out of the courtroom during the Foreign Minister’s speech Russia Sergei Lavrov at the forum UN Human Rights , Tuesday (1/3/2022). This was done as a form of protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As a result of the boycott by envoys from the European Union, the United States (US), Britain, and a number of other countries, only a few diplomats were left in the room. The remaining diplomats include Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, who is a former deputy of Lavrov, envoys from Syria, China and Venezuela.

Read: Ukrainian journalist snaps at British PM: You didn’t come to Kiev for fear of war!

Lavrov spoke to the UN Human Rights Council remotely. He canceled his visit to Geneva earlier this week because European Union countries blocked his flight path.

In his speech, Lavrov accused the European Union of engaging in “Russophobic madness” by supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons during Moscow’s military campaign that began last Thursday.

Among the diplomats who boycotted were Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod. They were joined by the Ambassador of Ukraine, Yevheniia Filipenko behind the large blue and yellow flag of Ukraine.

Read: Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov admits 2 soldiers died in Ukraine

“This is a great show of support for Ukrainians who are fighting for their independence,” Filipenko told reporters.

According to Filipenko, there has been a massive destruction of civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv. “The maternity wards are being attacked, civilian residential buildings are being bombed,” he stressed.

–