UN rights chief Volker Turk faces opposition to new term
United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Turk, an ?outspoken critic of Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s conduct in Gaza, faces opposition from both countries to a second four-year term ahead of a vote on Friday, diplomats told Reuters.
Turk, a lawyer who has worked for the United Nations for decades in major offices such as Geneva and field locations including Kosovo, finishes his first four-year term in October.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has worked closely with Turk in the past and steps down in December, has proposed another full term for the Austrian.
However, Russia has submitted a counter-proposal to extend his term by just over two months to the end of 2026, according to a copy seen by Reuters.
Three diplomats said Israel also opposed a four-year extension and that Washington had raised doubts, ?turning what had ?been expected to be a consensus reappointment into a contentious vote.
Others have also privately ?said ?Guterres’ ?successor should have ?a ?say.
UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF IS DEFENDER OF FREEDOMS
Asked to comment, Russia’s UN mission in New York agreed.
“Mr Turk’s reappointment for four years deprives the new secretary-general of the opportunity to make his/her own choice for such an important post for a long period,” it said.
“It is an arbitrary idea given the sensitivity of the human rights architecture and its role in the United Nations in general.”
The mission said the view was shared by “many” UN states and added: “We’ll see tomorrow how many of them will be ready to openly state their position without fear of reprisals.”
Since the vote is in the UN General Assembly, the veto powers held by Russia ?and the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council — China, the United States, ?Britain and France — do not apply.
No previous human rights chief has served two ?full four-year terms. Jordan’s Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, in post from 2014-18, said that remaining ?longer risked muting his advocacy and compromising his independence.
Israel’s Foreign ?Ministry called Guterres’ re-proposal of Turk a “moral failure” on X and said the choice should be left to ?his successor. The US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
