Past campaigns have been successful in focusing attention on the human rights records of council candidates and preventing some of the worst human rights violators from joining the council.

In 2007 an international coalition of NGOs initiated a public campaign against Belarus’ candidacy for a seat on the council, highlighting Belarus’ dismal human rights record. Belarus failed to win enough votes from the United Nations General Assembly for membership, demonstrating that the human rights records of council candidates are important to the election process.

Similarly, in 2008 Sri Lanka’s bid for re-election to the council was opposed by both Sri Lankan NGOs and an international coalition of NGOs, based on the deteriorating human rights situation in the country and on the government’s use of its seat on the council to avoid international scrutiny. Sri Lanka lost its seat on the council.

And in 2009 an international coalition of NGOs opposed the re-election of Azerbaijan to the council, citing in particular the harassment and intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders, torture and ill-treatment of people in police custody, and detention of political prisoners. Azerbaijan failed to win enough votes from the General Assembly for membership.

Iranian human rights defenders and an international coalition of NGOs in 2008 had opposed Iran’s election to the council. In 2010, in the face of mounting global opposition, Iran withdrew its candidacy on April 23 rather than face likely defeat in the General Assembly.