China joins UN Human Rights Council

China has been appointed to a panel on the controversial U.N. Human Rights Council, where it will help vet candidates for important posts -- despite its decades-long record of systematic human rights abuse that the U.S. has said fueled the coronavirus pandemic.

Jiang Duan, minister at the Chinese Mission in Geneva, was appointed to the U.N. Human Rights Council’s Consultative Group -- where he will serve as the representative of the Asia-Pacific states. He will serve as one of five representatives for blocs of countries and is joined by delegates from Spain, Slovenia and Chad.

Venezuela takes seat on UN Human Rights Council

Venezuela, a country beset by poverty and mass human rights abuses under the regime of dictator Nicolas Maduro, took its seat Monday on the U.N. Human Rights Council -- a move that critics of the council see as further proof that the controversial body is in desperate need of reform.