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