UN assembly renews Volker Turk’s term despite US opposition

NEW YORK: The United Nations General Assembly on Friday approved a four-year extension of Volker Turk’s mandate as high commissioner for human rights, despite firm opposition from the United States, Russia and Israel.

The assembly voted 144 in favour, with 10 against and 13 abstentions, renewing Turk’s term from October 12, 2026, under a proposal put forward by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. A Russian proposal to limit the extension to a few months, until December 31, 2026, was rejected by a wide margin. The assembly also turned down a US request to delay the vote.

Before the ballot, US Ambassador Jeff Bartos, the US representative for UN management and reform, objected to the four-year renewal on procedural as well as substantive grounds and accused Guterres of pushing the matter through too quickly. He warned member states that the decision could affect Washington’s future approach to the organisation.

Make no mistake: If this assembly tolerates procedural overreach, backroom deals, and the misuse of UN posts, there will be consequences. “The United States will immediately reassess our engagement, participation, and funding,

Bartos also accused Guterres of accelerating the timeline

to hand his long-term friend a four-year executive payout

.

France, however, defended Turk’s record. French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont described him as

a voice of conscience

who had shown

rigour and impartiality

during his first term.

Turk, an Austrian jurist, has held the post since October 2022. During his time in office, he has stressed that human rights are universal and that international law should be applied equally. He has spoken out on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war in Gaza, and situations in Afghanistan, Sudan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nicaragua.

At the same time, he has faced criticism for not taking stronger positions on Cuba and on the treatment of Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang region. He has also been criticised for not explicitly using the term genocide in relation to Gaza, unlike several UN experts and rapporteurs.

His positions have drawn sharp objections from a number of governments, particularly Russia and Israel. On Friday, ambassadors from both countries opposed his reappointment and argued that Guterres, whose own term as secretary-general ends later this year, should have left the choice of human rights chief to his successor.