Saudi Arabia was defeated for a seat in the U.N.’s premier human rights body Wednesday after a campaign by rights groups urging the world body’s members to reject its bid.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia narrowly failed on Wednesday to win a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, a blow to Riyadh's efforts to boost the country's rights reputation abroad and four years after it was rejected in a 2020 bid to join the 47-member body.

United Nations members rejected Saudi Arabia’s bid to join the organization’s Human Rights Council amid opposition from activists who say the Gulf nation remains among the worst human rights offenders globally.

Parliamentary pressure is building on the UK government to vote against Saudi Arabia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), in what has been described as a “litmus test” for the new Labour administration.

Following a vote by the General Assembly, Saudi Arabia suffered a major diplomatic blow on Wednesday when it became the only competing member-state to fail to secure a seat on the UN’s top human rights committee.