[Anchor]
The United Nations General Assembly has elected China and Russia to the Human Rights Council, despite widespread criticism of their human rights records.
Saudi Arabia unexpectedly failed to secure a seat.
The BBC's Nada Tawfik reports.
[Reporter]
Campaigners have long decried the Human Rights Council elections, which are too often not contested and filled with candidates with poor records.
One group, Human Rights Watch, said Saudi Arabia's failure to secure enough votes was a welcome reminder of the need for more competition to block undeserving candidates.
The country has a history of targeting dissidents and activists.
Yet China won a seat despite the fact that, according to the United Nations, some 1 million Uyghurs are being held in detention and forced labor camps, which Beijing describes as training centers.
<Photo: Yonhap News>
