Saudi Arabia is lobbying to become the head of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
UN Watch released a statement upon learning about the move: "We urge U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power and EU foreign minister Federica Mogherini to denounce this despicable act of cynicism by a regime that beheads people in the town square, systematically oppresses women, Christians, and gays, and jails innocent bloggers like Raif Badawi for the crime of challenging the rulers’ radical Wahabbist Islamic orthodoxy."
The United States and European Union did not oppose Saudi Arabia's election to the 47-member council.