United Nations Human Rights Commissioner - Latest News [Page 1]
Comment By UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk After Dozens Of Civilians Said Killed In Nigerian, Chadian Airstrikes
Thursday, 14 May 2026, 8:30 am | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
Geneva, 13 May 2026 I am shocked by reports that Nigerian army airstrikes on a market in the northeastern Zamfara state killed at least 100 civilians on 10 May and injured many more. I am also alarmed and saddened by reports that dozens of fishermen were ... More >>
Türk Urges Repeal Of Special Military Tribunal Law Passed By Israeli Knesset
Thursday, 14 May 2026, 8:20 am | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
“This law will inevitably institutionalise one-sided justice and discrimination against Palestinians, which cannot be in anyone's interest and runs counter to international human rights law,” the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said. More >>
Press Briefing by UN High Commissioner For Human Rights Volker Turk On The Conclusion Of His Official Visit To Mongolia
Thursday, 14 May 2026, 7:27 am | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
"At a time when some powerful global actors are openly defying and even vilifying human rights, including through transnational repression, Mongolia’s positive commitment stands out", says Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner For Human Right. More >>
Israel: Türk Warns Against Legislative Steps Targeting Palestinians In Violation Of International Law
Wednesday, 1 April 2026, 3:15 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
Among other problematic provisions, the law makes execution by hanging the default penalty for Palestinians convicted in the occupied West Bank of lethal attacks against Israelis. More >>
Türk Updates Human Rights Council On Venezuela: The Country’s Future Must Be Decided By Its People
Tuesday, 17 March 2026, 5:26 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
Many Venezuelans are still arbitrarily detained, including people with disabilities and critical health conditions, older people, and at least one child. More >>
South Sudan: Türk Urges Immediate Ceasefire As War Crimes Fears Mount
Thursday, 12 March 2026, 5:12 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
More than 280,000 people have been displaced in South Sudan since late December - in Jonglei, Lakes and Upper Nile States. More >>
Migrants In Libya Victims Of “Violent Business Model” Of Systemic Violations And Abuses – UN Report
Friday, 20 February 2026, 4:58 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
The report is based on interviews with almost 100 migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, from 16 countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. More >>
Serbian Authorities Need To Speed Up Steps To Ensure Accountability - UN Human Rights Chief
Monday, 10 November 2025, 9:01 am | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
Türk stressed Serbia's obligation to uphold the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and thereby ensure that measures to maintain public order go no further than the strict limitations on them set out in human rights law. More >>
Türk Welcomes Landmark ASEAN Environment Declaration, Urges Inclusive Implementation
Wednesday, 29 October 2025, 4:42 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
The High Commissioner called on ASEAN Member States to build on the declaration to ensure coordinated leadership and timely action toward addressing transboundary environmental harms. More >>
‘Day After’ In Gaza: Türk Urges All Actors To Ensure Human Rights Are Central
Monday, 20 October 2025, 9:13 am | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
At this critical stage, all hands on deck are needed to ensure this momentum carries through to a lasting peace and security for all those living in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory,” the High Commissioner said. More >>
Bangladesh: Türk Sees Important Steps Towards Accountability For Disappearances, Calls For Fair Trials And Due Process
Friday, 17 October 2025, 3:37 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
The crime of enforced disappearances is now formally recognised in Bangladesh for the first time following ratification in August 2024 of the Convention on Enforced Disappearances. More >>
Comment By UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence On Sentencing Of China’s Zhang Zhan
Monday, 22 September 2025, 7:14 am | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
The precise details of this latest charge have not been divulged, but it is believed to be based on her social media activity. More >>
Urgent Push Needed To Achieve Reparatory Justice For Africans And People Of African Descent – UN Report
Thursday, 4 September 2025, 4:03 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
The report finds that reparatory justice for legacies of enslavement, the trade in enslaved Africans and colonialism is key to dismantling the systemic racism that affects Africans and people of African descent. More >>
Comment By UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk On The Declared Famine In Gaza Governorate
Saturday, 23 August 2025, 6:09 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
It is a war crime to use starvation as a method of warfare, and the resulting deaths may also amount to the war crime of willful killing. Israeli authorities must take immediate steps to end the famine in the Gaza Governorate and prevent further loss ... More >>
Türk Denounces Intensification Of US Reprisals Against International Criminal Court Personnel
Saturday, 23 August 2025, 5:56 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
As Türk has stressed, “sanctioning judges and prosecutors at national, regional or international levels, for fulfilling their mandate in accordance with international law standards, is an assault on the rule of law and corrodes justice.” More >>
Briefing note on Israel - Occupied Palestinian Territory
Saturday, 23 August 2025, 5:19 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
International law requires that all those in detention be treated humanely, with dignity, and their human rights respected and protected. More >>
Gaza: UN Expert Denounces Serious Threats By Israeli Army Against Al Jazeera Correspondent
Friday, 1 August 2025, 1:10 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
Fears for Al-Sharif’s safety are well-founded as there is growing evidence that journalists in Gaza have been targeted and killed by the Israeli army on the basis of unsubstantiated claims that they were Hamas terrorists, said Irene Khan, the UN ... More >>
Comment By UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan On Deaths During Protests In Angola
Friday, 1 August 2025, 12:50 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
According to official reports, more than 1,000 people have been detained. Unverified footage suggests that security forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse protesters, which points to an unnecessary and disproportionate use of force. More >>
Türk Calls On Iran To Halt Use Of Death Penalty Amid Worrying Surge In Executions
Tuesday, 29 July 2025, 3:02 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
“It is alarming to see the reports that indicate there are at least 48 people currently on death row – 12 of whom are believed to be at imminent risk of execution,” Türk said. More >>
Comment By UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk On Unremitting Violence In Myanmar
Sunday, 4 May 2025, 5:11 pm | United Nations Human Rights Commissioner
This is the time to put people first, to prioritise their human rights and humanitarian needs, and to achieve a peaceful resolution to this crisis. Instead of further futile investment in military force, the focus must be on the restoration of democracy and ... More >>
