UN human rights chief Volker Turk has warned that the era of dictators could return. He made the warning in his opening speech at the annual session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday (February 24). AFP reports.
Turk said the world is now in a very dangerous situation, where dictators are gaining power. Human rights are being suppressed worldwide.
He did not name any specific countries in this regard. However, his comments are believed to be related to the current global situation, including the Russia-Ukraine war, US political changes and the rise of China.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that one human right after another is being eroded because rulers are afraid of people’s empowerment.
He also said that governments waging war are ignoring international law and the UN Charter, as a result of which ordinary people are losing their rights to food, water and education.
Volker Turk said that unified efforts to protect human rights around the world are now limited. Dictators and powerful individuals are weakening this foundation. Today, authoritarian governments control one-third of the world’s economy, double what they did 30 years ago.
He called on everyone to work together to ensure that human rights and the rule of law remain the foundation of individuals, societies and international relations.
