The United Nations General Assembly cast an overwhelming vote Friday to grant a four-year extension to Volker Turk, the head of U.N. Human Rights, despite pushback from Russia, Israel, and the United States.
Before approving the full extension, the 193-member body also rejected a Russian-backed alternative proposal that would have only extended Turk’s mandate by just over two months, through the end of 2026.
The renewal was put forward by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has a long working relationship with Turk and is himself set to leave his post in December. Guterres made the recommendation ahead of Turk’s current term expiring in October.
