UN human rights chief Falkar Turk again ignores objections from US, Russia, Israel

Despite strong objections from the United States, Russia and Israel, Volker Türk has been reappointed as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for a second four-year term. The UN General Assembly approved his reappointment on Friday, 24 July, making him the first official since the post was established in 1993 to serve two consecutive full terms. Türk, an Austrian lawyer, joined the United Nations in 1999 and began his career with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Over the years, he has held senior positions in Malaysia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and at UN Headquarters in New York. He also served as Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination under Secretary-General António Guterres. During his tenure as High Commissioner, Türk has been an outspoken advocate on a range of human rights issues, including Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the situations in Afghanistan, Sudan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nicaragua. In the General Assembly vote, 144 member states supported his reappointment, while 10 voted against and 13 abstained. Earlier attempts by the United States to delay the vote and by Russia to limit his mandate until the end of the current year were both rejected. The United States, Russia and Israel have repeatedly criticised Türk over his public positions. Israel has accused his office of failing to remain impartial in its handling of issues related to the 7 October attacks and has also questioned its management of resources. Russia has described him as biased, while the United States has argued that he promotes an ideological agenda. Secretary-General António Guterres has also faced criticism over the timing of the appointment, with opponents saying the decision should have been left to his successor. The US State Department described the process as another example of inefficiency within the UN, while Israel called it a moral failure. However, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the nomination followed established procedures and was made after consultations with member states and regional groups, ensuring a transparent selection process.