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 vote on Friday, diplomats told Reuters. Turk, a lawyer who has worked for the United Nations for decades in major offices such as Geneva and field locations including Kosovo, finishes his first four-year term in October. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has worked closely with Turk in the past and steps down in December, has proposed another full term for the Austrian. However, Russia has submitted a counter-proposal to extend his term by just over two months to the end of 2026, according to a copy seen by Reuters. Three diplomats said Israel also opposed a four-year extension and that Washington had raised doubts, turning what had been expected to be a consensus reappointment into a contentious vote. Others have also privately said Guterres' successor should have a say. Asked to comment, Russia's UN mission in New York agreed. "Mr. Turk's reappointment for four years deprives the new secretary-general of the opportunity to make his/her own choice for such an important post for a long period," it said. "It is an arbitrary idea given the sensitivity of the human rights architecture and its role in the United Nations in general." The mission said the view was shared by "many" UN states and added: "We'll see tomorrow how many of them will be ready to openly state their position without fear of reprisals." Since the vote is in the UN General Assembly, the veto powers held by Russia and the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council - China, the United States, Britain and France - do not apply. No previous human rights chief has served two full four-year terms. Jordan's Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, in post from 2014-18, said that remaining longer risked muting his advocacy and compromising his independence. Israel's Foreign Ministry called Guterres' re-proposal of Turk a "moral failure" on X and said the choice should be left to his successor. The US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Asked about Turk's reappointment this week, a spokesperson for his office said: "I believe the High Commissioner is ready to serve." The post, created in 1993, plays a critical role in speaking out against erosion 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 criticized 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 US 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 that he did not call the killings a genocide - an allegation Israel categorically denies. The Russian mission rejected suggestions that Moscow was opposing a four-year extension because of Turk's criticism of Russia's actions in Ukraine. It said its considerations included the wish to preserve the UN's institutional integrity and respect procedures. Diplomats said Guterres has been consulting governments for months about the proposal - a process meant to garner consensus and ward off last-minute surprises such as 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. No other known candidates are known to be under consideration for the position. "The Secretary-General is following the resolution and following the rules," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in New York on Thursday. "... the Secretary-General has very much appreciated the work that Volker Turk has done in his term as High Commissioner for Human Rights."
