UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk press conference remarks

“The cost of war is so high. The human toll is incalculable,” Türk told a press conference in Geneva, ahead of Human Rights Day on 10 December. He noted that 2024 has been marked by horrific numbers of people killed and severely injured in conflict, on and off the battlefield.

“The disregard for international law and apparent indifference to civilian lives and infrastructure have been starkly in focus in the conflict in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Lebanon, as well as in Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar, to name a few very stark examples,” he said.

“We need to stem the flow of arms into Haiti, Sudan and Myanmar; to put on notice those providing arms, including to Israel and non-State armed actors in Lebanon, Syria, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, that international law requires States to exercise care that weapons they provide are not used to commit violations. We need to insist that it is not okay, and not legal, to use anti-personnel mines in Ukraine, it is not okay to provide them for use there, and it is not okay to reduce the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons,” he said.

The High Commissioner highlighted developments in Syria, where he said, a regime had been driven from power following decades of brutal repression, and after nearly 14 years of relentless conflict.

The human rights of all Syrians must be at the core of any transition, through meaningful and inclusive participation, including notably of women and young people, he said. “Syria’s sovereignty, unity independence and territorial integrity must be restored.”

“Any political transition must ensure accountability for perpetrators of serious violations, and guarantee that those responsible are held to account. It is imperative that all evidence be collected and preserved meticulously for future use. Reform of the security apparatus will be key. This transition must also ensure that the tragedy of missing people is addressed,” Türk stressed.

The High Commissioner also highlighted the viral spread of disinformation on social platforms and in some traditional media, including State-sponsored and State-funded disinformation campaigns, is sowing divisions and hatred, and discrediting human rights defenders, independent journalism and international institutions.

Faced with so many challenges, we cannot lose the profound values and principles underpinning human rights, the High Commissioner said.

“Human rights are not abstract ideas or ideologies. They are about who we are, and how we live. They are grounded in facts, in law and in compassion. They embody our needs and our hopes,” he said.

For more information and media requests, please contact

Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org

Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org

Jeremy Laurence - + 41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org

Seif Magango - + 254 788 343 897/ seif.magango@un.org

Thameen Al-Kheetan - + 41 76 223 77 62 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org

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