How Volker Turk won a new term as UN rights chief despite Israel opposition

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing its staff, Reuters and The Associated Press, reported that the UN General Assembly has approved a second four-year term for Volker Turk as United Nations high commissioner for human rights. The vote on Friday was 144 in favour, 10 against and 13 abstentions, despite opposition from the United States, Israel and Russia. Turk, an Austrian lawyer who has held the post since 2022, is set to become the first person to serve two full terms in the role since it was established in 1993.

The reappointment followed a proposal by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. According to the report, the assembly rejected a US attempt to postpone the vote and a Russian proposal to extend Turk only until the end of the year. Critics argued the process was rushed because Guterres’s own term ends in December and said the choice should have been left to his successor. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres acted under UN rules and consulted member states and regional groups.

Turk’s tenure has drawn criticism from several governments because the job requires public scrutiny of member states’ rights records. Al Jazeera reported that Turk has criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territory, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and US policies affecting migrants and refugees. Israel’s Foreign Ministry accused his office of bias over its handling of October 7 and later events, while Russia alleged unfounded accusations against Moscow. The US State Department called the vote rushed and attacked Turk’s agenda.

The report also noted criticism from others who say Turk has not been forceful enough on China’s treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang, and that he has not joined independent UN experts in accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.