Al Mayadeen correspondent reported on Thursday that the Human Rights Council refused to extend the mandate of the UN Group of Eminent Experts (GEE) on Yemen, which constitutes a precedent in the Council's history.

The result of the vote on the draft resolution to extend the Group's work was: 18 in favor, 21 against, and 7 abstained.

Our correspondent had reported earlier that the Council would vote on Thursday on a draft resolution to extend the mission of the team of experts in Yemen for two years, amid Saudi pressure to prevent the extension.

Activists said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia is pressing hard to prevent a Western decision that would extend the mandate of UN investigators who have documented possible war crimes in Yemen, including war crimes committed by the Saudi-led coalition.

The Saudi mission to the United Nations in Geneva however did not immediately respond to a Reuters inquiry about the allegations. Activists said that the vote would be close and may depend on the number of abstentions in the 47-nation council.

2021 vs. 2020 

Last year, in the Human Rights Council, 22 voted in favor of the draft resolution to extend the mission of the Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen, while 12 voted against the project and 12 abstained.

Moreover, the Yemeni researcher at Human Rights Watch, Afrah Nasser, said that "Saudi Arabia, a leading party in the conflict in Yemen, accused of serious violations including likely war crimes, together with its coalition allies, is engaging in a tireless lobbying campaign to deter states at the Human Rights Council from renewing the GEE’s mandate." 

She added that "member states bowing to pressure to end the mandate when it is still urgently needed would be a stain on the credibility of the Council and a slap in the face of victims."

Presenting its latest report last month, Kamel Jendoubi, head of the independent expert group, said coalition airstrikes continue to inflict heavy casualties on the civilian population.

Jendoubi said that since March 2015, it is estimated that the coalition has carried out more than 23,000 airstrikes and that more than 18,000 civilians have been killed or wounded.

He said that the latest investigations included four coalition airstrikes, during which bombs fell on civilian homes, remote farms, and a major grain port, expressing concern about the failure to adhere to the principles of proportionality and precautions in such attacks.