Published on: 2026-06-15
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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“We are facing very serious problems in the field of human rights. An unprecedented and frank attack on international law is turning into horrifying human suffering,” Tiurk said, speaking with a global overview of the situation at the opening of the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.
Sixty-second SPS session
The Human Rights Council session runs from June 15 to July 7. Over the course of several weeks, UN member states will consider a wide range of issues related to the protection of human rights, including the consequences of armed conflicts, combating discrimination, the impact of new technologies and artificial intelligence on the human rights field, as well as issues of climate change and sustainable development.
The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body of the UN system, composed of 47 states responsible for the protection of human rights worldwide.
The Council’s competence includes the audit of discussions on all thematic issues and situations in the field of human rights that require its attention.
Middle East
The High Commissioner noted that many of the most acute crises of our time are accompanied by serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.
Turkey has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between the USA and Iran and called on the parties to comply with its provisions in good faith and in full. According to the High Commissioner, the conflict had devastating consequences for human rights both in the Middle East and in other parts of the world. He noted that the escalation of violence has led to the death of civilians, large-scale destruction, and a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the region.
“I sincerely sympathize with the residents of Iran, caught between two fires – war and harsh repression. After thousands of people were killed in January this year during the severe suppression of protests, the authorities intensified repression, arrested thousands of citizens, and introduced even harsher restrictions on civil activities,” said Türq.
“Since the beginning of this year, for reasons of national security, at least 40 people have been executed, including 18 participants in the protests,” he added.
Speaking about the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, Türke stated that since the declaration of the ceasefire regime in October of last year, almost a thousand Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, most of whom were civilians. According to data from the UN Human Rights Office, 82 Palestinians were killed by Hamas forces.
Türk also reported that Israeli authorities continue to displace the population in the sector areas, the territory of which is rapidly shrinking, and restrict the delivery of humanitarian aid.
At the same time, destruction of Palestinian neighborhoods and expansion of control over territories continue on the West Bank. Since the beginning of the year, 57 people have been killed, and almost 1300 have been injured.
“Some high-ranking Israeli officials publicly declared the expulsion of all Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and ruled out any possibility of creating a viable Palestinian state. All this is absolutely illegal,” said Tyurk.
The UN Commissioner also recalled that in Lebanon, as a result of Israeli strikes, about 3,600 people died, including hundreds of women and children, and more than 11,000 were injured. More than a million people were forced to leave their homes.
At the same time, Hezbollah is delivering strikes with a large radius of action on the territory of Israel. According to available data, since the end of February in the area of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as between Israel and Iran in different parts of Israel, 26 civilians have died.
“I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, and an investigation into violations of international humanitarian law and human rights by all parties to the conflict,” said Tyorc.
“In agreement with the government, we are sending our own independent and impartial mission to Lebanon to assess the situation,” he added.
Drones as the new reality of war
The situation in Sudan, where the conflict is accompanied by an increasingly widespread use of drones, causes particular concern to the High Commissioner.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, from January to May 2026, as a result of drone strikes in the country, more than a thousand civilians died.
The Turk warned that the nature of modern conflicts is changing. According to him, in Sudan, drones destroy humanitarian convoys and critical infrastructure facilities, and in other regions of the world, similar technologies are increasingly being used against civilian populations.
“The UN has for many years warned about the dangers of developing lethal autonomous weapons. Today, this threat has become a reality,” said Türk.
“States urgently need to consider the moral and legal issues related to this and agree on a common approach aimed at protecting the lives of civilians,” he added.
Ukraine: sharp escalation of hostilities
The High Commissioner noted a sharp escalation of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine in recent months.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, more than seven thousand cases of deaths and injuries of civilians were confirmed in the first five months of 2026. This is more than the equivalent period of any of the previous three years of the conflict.
Tyurk also noted that the continuous drone attacks led to numerous victims among the civilian population.
Persecution of human rights defenders
The UN High Commissioner also warned about the ongoing shrinking of civil space in many countries around the world. Thus, in 2025, about 950 human rights defenders, journalists, and trade union activists were killed or disappeared — twice as many as ten years ago. He noted the growth of repression against independent media and human rights organizations, as well as the persecution of critics of authorities beyond national borders.
“In Belarus, Iran, and Russia, thousands of human rights defenders and journalists are subjected to judicial persecution on charges of terrorism and extremism,” Tyurk said.
Gender equality and the rights of the LGBTIK+ community
The regional commissioner also spoke about an “organized campaign against gender equality.” Against the backdrop of misogynistic rhetoric and aggressive content on the internet, “violence against women is seen as a sad but acceptable fact.”
“The so-called ‘manosphere’ extracts benefit from dangerous stereotypes, undermining the rights of both young men and women. Recent surveys show that men of Generation Z in many countries take a more categorical stance against women’s independence than their grandfathers did,” noted Tyorc.
He also reminded about the persecution of representatives of the LGBTQ+ community in a number of countries. “Russia is intensifying the persecution of LGBTQ+ communities. Just in the last three months, at least nine organizations defending their rights have been recognized as extremist,” reported the Ombudsman.
Dehumanization of migrants and refugees in the United Kingdom, USA, and Europe
Dehumanization of migrants and refugees, including in the United Kingdom, the USA, and many EU countries, often leads to the curtailment of their rights, noted Türk.
“New rules of the European Union concerning the return of migrants create a risk of expanding the practice of detention, the creation of ‘offshore return centers’ and the weakening of safeguards protecting against forced return,” said the UN chief human rights defender.
He also expressed concern about how immigration control measures affect the holding of the Men’s Football World Cup. “I call on the US authorities to ensure safety and dignity for all players, officials, and fans,” Tyoerk declared.
Concluding the speech, the High Commissioner called on states to strengthen international cooperation and place human rights at the center of the global agenda.
“Human rights are the glue that binds us together. When we join forces to strengthen these bonds, we make the world better for everyone,” Tyorok said.
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