UN human rights chief faces opposition in vote to extend his term for another four years
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk faces a vote Friday for a second four-year term but is running into opposition from critics and some countries for his criticism of Israel’s attacks in Gaza and his approach to China’s crackdown on its Uyghur minority.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres quietly nominated the Austrian lawyer for a second term. After private consultations but no public discussion, the 193-member General Assembly scheduled a vote on his reappointment for Friday afternoon.
Former head of Human Rights Watch Ken Roth called it “a stealth procedure” to avoid scrutiny by civil society and the public.
The job of the U.N. rights chief, by its nature, is tricky: It requires speaking out against rights violations by the governments of the countries that make up the membership of the world body. For instance, Türk has sharply criticized Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Some suggest an extension for Türk until the end of the year
Türk’s term expires on Oct. 11, and Russia’s U.N. Mission said it has proposed extending his term just until Dec. 31 — the day Guterres’ second five-year term as secretary-general ends.
Russia called Guterres’ effort to give Türk four more years as U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights “unprecedented.” None of his predecessors have served two full terms since the job was created in 1993.
An extension just until the end of the year would leave the choice of a new human rights chief to the next secretary-general. Six candidates are vying to be the new U.N. chief.
Guterres sent letters to regional groups at the United Nations earlier this month informing them of his intention to reappoint Türk. The African group had no objection, but the Latin American countries had several, including Nicaragua, Argentina and Paraguay.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry called Guterres’ action to get a second term for Türk the U.N. secretary-general’s “latest moral failure,” saying on social media that the choice should be left to his successor.
“After years of bias against Israel, the answer is accountability — not rewriting the rules,” the ministry said.
Guterres is ‘following the rules’ on the reappointment, UN says
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, says Guterres is following the 1993 resolution that established a U.N. high commissioner for human rights and allows for a second term.
“The secretary-general is doing things in a very transparent manner, following the rules and his authority,” Dujarric told reporters Friday. “Consultations were had with member states prior to this and with regional groups.”
