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STORY: OHCHR / TURK MEDIA ENCOUNTER
TRT: 06:48
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
DATELINE: 10 JUNE 2026, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais Wilson, UN Human Rights Headquarters, Geneva
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“As you are acutely aware, we continue navigating a very difficult global context. Swimming against currents of belligerence, of populism, of unilateralism and the pushback against international law. The impacts of these currents can be seen from the battlefields to ballot boxes. Anti-rights movements fueled by bigotry, polarization and exclusion are flourishing. We also see inequalities skyrocketing, and we see how the climate crisis continues to be met largely with inertia. While formidable issues need to be reckoned with in the digital space.”
3. Wide shot, press conference
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Around the world we continue to see clampdowns on civic space, often with lethal consequences. There is repression, democratic backsliding and the scapegoating of minorities, marginalized communities, refugees and migrants. Amid the unimaginable civilian harm, suffering and displacement that is caused by dozens of conflicts around the world, we have seen the economic and environmental consequences of fighting that reverberate across the world, impacting daily lives of millions of people, particularly the vulnerable, even beyond the immediate threats of war.”
5. Wide shot, press conference
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“The world needs to contain this fallout. So, de-escalation, restraint and the protection of civilians must be the absolute priority. Accountability cannot be overstated. Prompt and independent investigations into alleged violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law must be conducted.”
7. Wide shot, press conference
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“This is why I have agreed with the Government of Lebanon to conduct an impartial and independent assessment mission in the country. I will soon be deploying a team to collect information and evidence on alleged violations and abuses of international rights law and violations of international humanitarian law and related law committed by the parties to the armed conflict in the country since the 2nd of March this year. The work of this Office remains critical in advancing and promoting human rights in times of war and peace.”
9. Wide shot, press conference
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“I am pleased to announce that we will be launching a Global Alliance for Human Rights, and it will be obviously very much propelled by my Office. But under this new banner, we aim to mobilize actors from all sectors, regions and generations to help place human rights at the centre of global debate and decision making.”
11. Wide shot, press conference
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“And we also want to make sure that the Alliance represents a common commitment to move together, not least in view of the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2028, and we hope that we will move towards a future where governments are accountable, societies are inclusive, economies are fair, where innovation puts people first, and respect shapes our relationships with each other and with the planet.”
13. Wide shot, press conference
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Look, the events in Britain. First of all, my solidarity with the victims, with the families, with their loved ones. But, also a very clear call that dehumanization of all groups within a society is totally unacceptable. And it's frankly despicable what we see. The violence that comes out as a result in what we see in events both in Northern Ireland and in Southampton were really shocking.”
15. Wide shot, press conference
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“And I hope that both the providers on the social media platforms take the responsibility seriously that dehumanization hate speech violence and incitement to violence is unacceptable. We cannot tolerate this in today's world because we have (had) enough of this. And the polarization that we see is shocking.”
17. Wide shot, press conference
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“On the World Cup, mega sport events are meant from the very inception to be events where the world comes together in unity and in peace. I mean, the old tradition from the Greeks was that this should also lead to all kinds of truces, for example. It's clear that the environment in which mega sports events, including the World Cup take place, need to provide us a dignified and safe environment for the teams that compete, but also for the supporters, for the whole society and frankly for the world. So, I hope that the issues around racial profiling, around surveillance, around immigration enforcement are not going to affect this World Cup in the way that they have already done. I mean, we have seen some of the scenes, and I really hope that there is a massive rethink of how immigration enforcement is respecting human rights and human dignity, and that especially for the World Cup, there is a rethink. For the World Cup, that there is a rethink of the policies that we have unfortunately seen prevailing, especially in the US at the moment. I also hope that the dehumanization of the other, the dehumanization of migrants, the dehumanization of refugees and asylum seekers is put to an end because nobody benefits from divisive and polarizing narratives.”
19. Wide shot, press conference
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today (10 Jun) addressed the media at the headquarters of the Office of the High Commissioner in Palais Wilson, Geneva.
The High Commissioner said, “we continue navigating a very difficult global context. Swimming against currents of belligerence, of populism, of unilateralism and the pushback against international law. The impacts of these currents can be seen from the battlefields to ballot boxes. Anti rights movements fueled by bigotry, polarization and exclusion are flourishing.”
“We also see inequalities skyrocketing, and we see how the climate crisis continues to be met largely with inertia. While formidable issues need to be reckoned with in the digital space” Türk said.
The human rights chief also said, “around the world. We continue to see clampdowns on civic space, often with lethal consequences. There is repression, democratic backsliding and the scapegoating of minorities, marginalized communities, refugees and migrants.”
“Amid the unimaginable civilian harm, suffering and displacement that is caused by dozens of conflicts around the world. We have seen the economic and environmental consequences of fighting that reverberate across the world, impacting daily lives of millions of people, particularly the vulnerable, even beyond the immediate threats of war,” the High Commissioner said.
Türk said, “the world needs to contain this fallout. So, de-escalation, restraint and the protection of civilians must be the absolute priority. Accountability cannot be overstated. Prompt and independent investigations into alleged violations of international community turn law and international human rights law must be conducted.”
The High Commissioner said, “this is why I have agreed with the Government of Lebanon to conduct an impartial and independent assessment mission in the country. I will soon be deploying a team to collect information and evidence on alleged violations and abuses of international rights law and violations of international humanitarian law and related law committed by the parties to the armed conflict in the country since the 2nd of March this year. The work of this Office remains critical in advancing and promoting human rights in times of war and peace.”
Despite the challenges, there is cause for hope, he said, the vast majority do not want a world that is unfair, brutal and repressive. During recent visits to Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas so far this year, the High Commissioner said he’d seen and been inspired by commitments to the foundational values of human rights.
“I am pleased to announce that we will be launching a Global Alliance for Human Rights, and it will be obviously very much propelled by my office. But under this new banner, we aim to mobilize actors from all sectors, regions and generations to help place human rights at the center of global debate and decision making,” Türk said.
The High Commissioner said, “we also want to make sure that the alliance represents a common commitment to move together, not least in view of the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2028, and we hope that we will move towards a future where governments are accountable, societies are inclusive, economies are fair, where innovation puts people first, and respect shapes our relationships with each other and with the planet.”
The High Commissioner was asked about brutal attacks on individuals in the UK, and the subsequent violence. He responded:
He said, “First of all, my solidarity with the victims, with the families, with their loved ones. But, also a very clear call that dehumanization of all groups within a society is totally unacceptable. And it's frankly despicable what we see. The violence that comes out as a result in what we see in events both in Northern Ireland and in Southampton were really shocking. And I hope that both the providers on the social media platforms take the responsibility seriously that dehumanization hate speech violence and incitement to violence is unacceptable. We cannot tolerate this in today's world because we have (had) enough of this. And the polarization that we see is shocking.”
The High Commissioner was asked about the football World Cup which is due to start in the United States, Canada and Mexico this week.
Türk said, “on the World Cup, mega sport events are meant from the very inception to be events where the world comes together in unity and in peace. I mean, the old tradition from the Greeks was that this should also lead to all kinds of truces, for example. It's clear that the environment in which mega sports events, including the World Cup take place, need to provide us a dignified and safe environment for the teams that compete, but also for the supporters, for the whole society and frankly for the world.”
The High Commissioner said, “I hope that the issues around racial profiling, around surveillance, around immigration enforcement are not going to affect this World Cup in the way that they have already done. I mean, we have seen some of the scenes, and I really hope that there is a massive rethink of how immigration enforcement is respecting human rights and human dignity, and that especially for the World Cup, there is a rethink. For the World Cup, that there is a rethink of the policies that we have unfortunately seen prevailing, especially in the US at the moment.
“I also hope that the dehumanization of the other, the dehumanization of migrants, the dehumanization of refugees and asylum seekers is put to an end because nobody benefits from divisive and polarizing narratives,” he concluded.
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