The United Nations General Assembly approved the decision to extend the term of High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk by four years. In the vote held on Friday, 144 countries voted in favor, while 10 countries, including Israel, the US, and Russia, voted against, and 13 abstained.
The decision, taken upon the recommendation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, rejected the US request to postpone the vote and Russia's proposal to limit Türk's term to only until December 31, 2026. Türk's new term will begin on October 12, 2026.
US Ambassador for UN Management and Reform, Jeff Bartos, criticized the decision, saying Guterres rushed the vote. Bartos warned about 'overreach of procedural authority, backroom deals, and abuse of UN positions.' He announced that the US will immediately reassess its engagement with the organization, cooperation, and funding in light of these developments.
Austrian Volker Türk has served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since October 2022. He is known for directly criticizing Israel's attacks on Gaza, Russia's war in Ukraine, deaths in US immigration detention centers, and tensions between the US and Iran. This outspoken stance is behind the objections of the three countries.
Human Rights Watch's UN Affairs Director Louis Charbonneau stressed that attacks on human rights are increasing worldwide, and this situation requires a courageous High Commissioner who can push back against attempts by major powers like China, Russia, and the US to weaken UN human rights bodies.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was established in 1993 and plays a critical role in monitoring the human rights situation worldwide and condemning backsliding on freedoms.
