China votes against giving UN war crimes commission more time

China has voted against a UN resolution giving its war crimes commission another year to investigate the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The United Nations Human Rights Council voted in favour of extending the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine's mandate, with 28 for, two against, and seventeen abstaining.

In a report published last month, the commission found incidents of torture and attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure could constitute crimes against humanity.

Russia refused to address the Human Rights Council, and denies committing atrocities or targeting civilians.

"We strongly believe that the continued work of the commission in further investigating, documenting and reporting human rights violations and international crimes committed against the people in Ukraine could save more innocent lives [and] could contribute to accountability for perpetrators and justice for victims," said Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations, Yevheniia Filipenko.

The UN Human Rights Council does not have legally binding powers - its investigations feed evidence to courts which do.