Western countries are leading a simultaneous push at the U.N.’s top human rights body to scrutinize human rights in two of the world’s most influential countries: China and Russia.

FILE - China's ambassador in Geneva ambassador Chen Xu makes a media statement criticising the U.S. for attacking China's candidate to head a United Nations agency that tracks intellectual property in the digital age, in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 26, 2020. Like rarely before, Western countries are leading a push among the 47 member nations of the U.N.’s top human rights body to single out and scrutinize human rights in China — over allegations of abuses in western Xinjiang — and Russia, where a domestic crackdown on dissent over the Ukraine war has stifled independent media and activist groups 

GENEVA (AP) — Western countries are leading a rare two-pronged push at the U.N.’s main human rights body to better scrutinize the human rights records of two big world powers: China, over allegations of abuses during an anti-extremism campaign in western Xinjiang, and Russia, over its government's crackdown on dissent and protest against the war in Ukraine. 

Going after two such influential U.N. members — two of the five permanent members of the Security Council no less — at the same time will be no small political task, diplomats and rights advocates say. It testifies to a growing rift between democracies and more autocratic countries, and is shaping up as a gamble of geopolitical clout, the outcome of which will resonate beyond the Geneva conference room where the Human Rights Council meets.

Some Western diplomats insist it’s now or never, and say it just so happens the two issues need separate attention.

Britain, Canada, the U.S. and the five Nordic countries are leading a call for council members to agree a debate at its next session in March on alleged abuses against Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They aim to build momentum on an Aug. 31 report by the U.N. human rights chief that raised concerns about possible crimes against humanity during Beijing's anti-extremism drive in the region.