Veteran Austrian diplomat nominated as next UN human rights chief

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has proposed a veteran Austrian diplomat to head the global body’s human rights office at a time when it is facing harsh criticism from China for accusing Beijing of abuses against Muslim minorities.

The proposal of Volker Tuerk, currently undersecretary-general for policy in Guterres’s office, circulated to member states late Wednesday. It still needs to be approved by the UN General Assembly.

Tuerk, who spent many years working for the UN refugee agency, would succeed Michelle Bachelet of Chile as High Commissioner for Human Rights, based in Geneva.

Bachelet’s term ended in August with the release of a highly anticipated report on human rights in China’s western region of Xinjiang. The report accused Beijing of serious human rights violations against Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups that may amount to “crimes against humanity.”

China blasted the report, accusing the UN rights office of fabrication and allowing itself to be used by Western nations.

Tuerk can also expect to face pressure from human rights activists. Amnesty International’s secretary-general, Agnes Callamard, said he is being appointed “at a time of considerable threats to human rights around the world.”

“Immediately, he has to help shape an effective human rights response and accountability for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, China’s persecution of millions of Uyghurs, and far too many forgotten crises,” she said in a statement, pointing to Yemen, Congo and Myanmar as examples. “His agenda should also include strengthening the human rights response to climate change and rising inequality.”

UN chief Antonio Guterres to propose @Volker_Turk, a veteran official at the world body, to be next High Commissioner for Human Rights, reports Reuters. We at UN Watch look forward to working with Mr. Türk to advocate for human rights victims worldwide who need the world's help. pic.twitter.com/WfR03tZJ2x

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Another issue Tuerk will need to address at one point or another is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His predecessor was an outspoken critic of Israel’s human rights records, repeatedly accusing the Jewish state of violations against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Before leaving office last week, Bachelet suggested Israel was “trying to hide something” and vowed that her office would continue to report on the conflict.

She also accused Israel of failing to cooperate with her team on different occasions, adding that Israel’s treatment of her staff was part of a “wider and worrying trend to block human rights access” to the Palestinian territories.

Responding to her remarks, Israel’s mission in Geneva said it was “little surprise” that Bachelet was using her last hours in office “to once again attack Israel.” It said she had spent years “refusing to condemn violations of human rights by the Palestinians.”

“The prevalence of bias against Israel in her office is well known, and her office’s reports on Israel are unbalanced and prejudiced,” it said. “We hope that the next high commissioner will right the wrongs of Michelle Bachelet’s time in office and finally commits to eliminating the bias against Israel at the Human Rights Council.”