15 countries elected to UN Human Rights Council

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The UN General Assembly has elected 15 countries, including India, to the Human Rights Council, filling the latest slate of rotating council candidates, Xinhua reported.

The new members elected by the 192-member General Assembly will fill the seats of 15 council members whose terms are set to expire in June this year.

India, Kuwait, Indonesia and the Philippines were elected as the Asian group of nations to fill seats in the council.

Syria withdrew May 11 its bid for a seat in the council as it faced widespread international opposition to its candidacy amid reported ongoing government crackdown on protesters in the Middle East country. Kuwait took Syria's place in the Asian group.

Burkina Faso, Botswana, Congo and Benin made up the African group of states.

The Czech Republic and Romania were elected as part of the eastern European group, along with Italy and Austria who will hold seats as part of the western European group.

Chile, Costa Rica and Peru were elected as part of the Latin American and Caribbean group.

All 15 elected members will serve a three-year term.

Established by the UN General Assembly in 2006, the Geneva-based Human Rights Council is made up of 47 states tasked with addressing situations of human rights violation and providing recommendations to tackle them.