The United Nations General Assembly reappointed Austrian jurist Volker Türk as High Commissioner for Human Rights for a second four-year term. The vote on Friday was 144 in favor, 10 against and 13 abstentions.
This result came despite open objections from the United States, Russia and Israel. Türk becomes the first person to serve two full terms since the post was established in 1993.
Objections and rejected motions
Ahead of the vote, the United States submitted a motion to postpone the vote until the end of the following week. Russia, meanwhile, demanded that Türk's term be extended only until the end of the year. Both proposals were rejected by the General Assembly.
The US State Department said the vote was rushed, calling it "another example of the UN's inherent corruption and inadequacy." US Deputy Representative Jeff Bartos argued that Türk "turns a blind eye to real atrocities and pursues a radical ideological agenda."
Accusations from Israel and Russia
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights under Türk's leadership "erased the October 7 atrocity, misused funds, and betrayed the UN's impartiality by supporting corrupt political radicalism." The ministry described Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's push for Türk's second term as "a moral failure."
Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Chumakov also accused Türk of being biased and leveling baseless allegations against Russia.
Türk's background and criticism
Türk, who joined the United Nations in 1999, served with the UN refugee agency in various countries including Malaysia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He later held senior roles at UN headquarters in New York as Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination under Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
As High Commissioner for Human Rights, Türk has sharply criticized Israel's war on Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He has also spoken out against rights violations in Afghanistan, Sudan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nicaragua.
Critics argue that Türk has not adequately publicized the follow-up to his predecessor Michelle Bachelet's report on China's practices in Xinjiang. Türk has also refrained from fully endorsing the independent UN experts who accuse Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that Guterres complied with UN rules and acted "with great transparency" by consulting in advance with member states and regional groups during the appointment process.
