The United Nations General Assembly has reappointed Volker Türk as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for another four year term, despite strong opposition from the United States, Russia and Israel.
The vote on Friday makes Türk the first person to serve two full terms as the UN human rights chief since the position was created in 1993.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved the reappointment after a proposal by UN Secretary General António Guterres received 144 votes in favour, 10 against and 13 abstentions.
The Assembly had earlier rejected a US proposal to postpone the vote until the end of the following week, as well as a Russian proposal to extend Türk’s term only until the end of the year.
Türk, an Austrian lawyer, joined the United Nations in 1999 and worked with the UN refugee agency in several countries, including Malaysia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He later held senior positions at the UN headquarters in New York, including serving as Assistant Secretary General for Strategic Coordination under Guterres.
Since becoming the UN human rights chief in 2022, Türk has strongly criticised Israel’s military operations in Gaza, Russia’s war in Ukraine and human rights abuses in several other countries.
He has described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “senseless” and a “blatant affront to the UN Charter and the whole body of international law.”
Türk has also criticised Israel over its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as alleged rights abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories.
His positions have drawn strong criticism from Israel, Russia and the United States.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused his office of abandoning UN neutrality and alleged that it had failed to properly address the October 7 attacks.
Russia’s Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Chumakov, accused Türk of bias and making unfounded allegations against Russia.
The United States also criticised the reappointment process, describing the vote as rushed and accusing Türk of pursuing what it called a radical ideological agenda.
Critics also questioned the decision by Guterres to push for Türk’s reappointment just months before the end of his own term as UN Secretary General.
However, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric defended the process, saying Guterres had complied with UN rules and consulted member states and regional groups in a transparent manner.
Türk has also faced criticism over his handling of a report by his predecessor, Michelle Bachelet, which said China’s detention of Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang may amount to crimes against humanity.
He has also stopped short of joining some independent UN rights experts who have accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Türk’s office has maintained that he has used both private engagement with Beijing and public advocacy to promote human rights in China.
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