The UN General Assembly reappointed Volker Türk as High Commissioner for Human Rights for another four years in a 144-10 vote, overcoming opposition from the United States, Russia and Israel. His renewed mandate comes amid criticism over his handling of Israel’s war in Gaza, China’s treatment of Uyghurs and concerns about the opaque reappointment process.
Volker Türk clinches four-year extension as UN human rights chief
Member states voted 144-10 in favour of extending Türk’s mandate, with 13 abstentions, after rejecting separate US and Russian proposals to delay or shorten his reappointment. Türk’s first term was due to end on Oct. 11 since his appointment into the role in October 2022.
“Deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue serving as High Commissioner,” said Türk in an X post.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres nominated the Austrian lawyer for another term following consultations with regional groups. However, some countries criticised the process, arguing the nomination lacked transparency and should have been left to the next UN secretary-general, whose selection is already underway.
The US State Department accused Guterres of rewarding a close ally, calling the process an example of “corruption and incompetence” and claiming Türk had ignored serious human rights abuses while pursuing a political agenda.
Israel also condemned the reappointment, arguing Türk had consistently shown bias against the country over the war in Gaza and that the decision should have been deferred until Guterres’ successor takes office.
Russia opposed granting Türk a second full term, noting that none of his predecessors had served two complete mandates since the office was established in 1993. Moscow proposed extending his tenure only until the end of 2026, but the General Assembly rejected the idea.
The Russian and US proposals have been defeated and the term of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has been extended by four years.
His mandate is renewed in the midst of massive violations of human rights the world over and increasing attacks against the… https://t.co/qlBxqBzLwA
— Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) July 24, 2026
A wave of criticism for the UN human rights chief
Throughout his first term, Türk has criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and repeatedly condemned civilian suffering during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. However, critics argue that Türk has turned a blind eye to dictatorships around the world while unfairly targeting the US for criticism.
Some human rights advocates argue he has not pressed China strongly enough over alleged abuses in Xinjiang, while Israel rejects his criticism of its military actions and disputes allegations of genocide in Gaza.
“Türk for the past two years, was completely silent on gross and systemic violations of human rights committed by the regimes of Cuba, North America, Algeria, Eritrea, Mauritania, Lebanon, and Qatar,” read a 2024 report detailing his tenure.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric defended the reappointment, saying Guterres acted within the rules governing the office and consulted member states before making the nomination. Türk’s office said he remains committed to engaging with all governments while promoting and protecting human rights worldwide.