The General Assembly elected 14 new members to the Human Rights Council, the Geneva-based body that “can” shine a spotlight on rights abuses around the world by adopting resolutions.  But activists are upset that China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and others with serious human rights concerns were among those winning three-year seats.

Without naming specific countries, US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power decried the newly elected members of the council include “some that commit significant violations of the rights the council is designed to advance and protect.”

Human Rights Watch was ready to name names.  The organization says that five of the new council members – China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Algeria – have refused to let UN investigators visit to check alleged abuses.

China, Russia, and Algeria have 10 or more unfulfilled requests for visits by UN experts, some dating back to 2000, the group said.  And Saudi Arabia and Vietnam each have seven outstanding requests.

“China, Cuba, Russia, and Saudi Arabia systematically violate the human rights of their own citizens, and they consistently vote the wrong way on UN initiatives to protect the human rights of others,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer.

“For the U.N. to elect Saudi Arabia as a world judge on human rights would be like a town making a pyromaniac into chief of the fire department.”

Seats on the Human Rights Council are chosen by regional elections.  Some of those countries winning seats this time around were uncontested.  Others were chosen over regional competitors, such as Cuba’s selection over Uruguay.

“Fortunately, no states have a veto in Geneva so a hard-working majority can still achieve concrete results,” said Peggy Hicks of Human Rights Watch.