UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk press conference remarks
/
2:26
/
MP4
/
356.5 MB
Download

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

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

Tag and share –

Twitter: @UNHumanRights

Facebook: unitednationshumanrights

Instagram: @unitednationshumanrights

STORY: UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk press conference remarks

TRT: 02:26

SOURCE: OHCHR / UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 09 December 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior shot:
  2. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:The cost of war is so high. The human toll is incalculable.
  3. Cutway: briefing room
  4. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Thedisregard 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.”
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: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.”
  6. Cutway: briefing room
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:Syria’ssovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity must be restored.
  8. Cutway: briefing room
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Anypolitical 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.
  10. Cutway: briefing room
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Humanrights 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.
  12. Cutway: briefing room


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 1
Download UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk press conference remarks
Download

Similar Stories

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNWOMEN

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025 ENG FRA

Aid agencies echoed wider warnings of growing signs of widespread starvation in Gaza on Tuesday, as UN-partnered international food security experts released their most dire assessment yet of the situation in the wartorn enclave.

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | IOM , UNDP , UNHCR

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025 ENG FRA

Sudan: urgent help needed as more than 1.3 million war-displaced people begin to return home

As conflict rages on across parts of Sudan, pockets of relative safety have emerged in the past four month, spurring more than one million internally displaced Sudanese to make their way home, says the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A further 320,000 cross-border refugees have come back to Sudan since last year, mainly from Egypt and South Sudan, to assess the current situation before deciding to return to their country for good.

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , WHO

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: SOS messages describe people fainting from hunger; UN health worker detained

Worrying alerts from United Nations staff in Gaza who have been fainting from hunger and exhaustion over the past 48 hours have increased fears for people’s survival in the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR

Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh ENG FRA

Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans ENG FRA

The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.  

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida. 

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives

Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine ENG

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA  15 July 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA 15 July 2025 ENG FRA

Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence  in Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence in Haiti ENG FRA

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.