Critic of Israel seeks to stay at UN

United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Turk,  an outspoken critic of Russia's war in Ukraine and Israel's conduct in Gaza, faces opposition from both countries to a second four-year term ahead of a potentially contentious vote on Friday, diplomats told Reuters.

High Commissioner Turk, an Austrian lawyer who has worked for the United Nations for decades in major offices like Geneva and field locations like Kosovo, ends his first four-year term in October.

U.N. documents showed he was proposed for another term until October 2030 by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has worked closely with Turk in the past and who steps down in December.

However, Russia has submitted a counter-proposal to extend his term by just over two months, until the end of 2026, according to a copy seen by Reuters. Three diplomats said that Israel also opposed a four-year extension and that Washington had raised doubts, turning what had been expected to be a consensus-backed reappointment into a contentious vote.

Others have also privately questioned another full term, saying the matter should instead be determined by Guterres' successor, when the U.N. chief's decade-long tenure finishes in December. "It's up to the next SG," one diplomat said. 

Russia and Israel's diplomatic missions did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

When asked about his reappointment earlier this week, a spokesperson for Turk's office, Thameen Al-Kheetan, declined comment, adding: "I believe the High Commissioner is ready to serve."

DEFENDER OF FREEDOMS

The high commissioner, a post created in 1993, plays a critical role in speaking out against the backsliding of freedoms at a time when autocracies are gaining influence at the expense of democracy.

Some early critics of Turk's appointment had assumed he would adopt a quieter approach. Instead, he has repeatedly criticised governments ranging from Russia and Israel to the United States.

He has accused Russia of severe violations of human rights and international humanitarian law since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, allegations Moscow denies. 

He has called for investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration custody and denounced hostilities between the United States and Iran. Washington has defended its standard of care in custody.

Turk has also condemned Israel's "mass killing" in Gaza, although some including his own staff regret he did not denounce a genocide there - allegations Israel categorically denies.

Israel, Russia and the U.S. did not immediately respond to a question about whether their positions on Turk were tied to his criticism of their human rights records. 

AFRICAN BACKING

Diplomats said that Guterres has been consulting governments for months about the proposal - a process meant to garner consensus and ward off last-minute surprises, like Russia's motion. 

Turk enjoys strong backing from European states and many Latin American ones, they said. A diplomatic memo from the African Union seen by Reuters showed "no objection" to the proposed four-year reappointment. 

There are no other known candidates for the position being considered. 

"The Secretary-General is following the resolution and following the rules," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in New York on Thursday.

"I will add, of course, that the Secretary-General has very much appreciated the work that Volker Turk has done in his term as High Commissioner for Human Rights."