GENEVA (AP) 鈥 The U.N. human rights chief called Monday for a quick end to the 鈥渞epression of independent voices鈥 in Russia and expressed concerns about the 鈥減ersecution" of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in prison last month.
Volker T眉rk, in a wide-ranging speech, also lamented dozens of conflicts around the world, widespread violations of human rights law that have impacted millions, and displacements caused by war, which could escalate in places like the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and Sudan.
鈥淩arely has humanity faced so many rapidly spiraling crises," he told the Human Rights Council.
Alluding to some countries among the dozens holding national elections this year, T眉rk denounced 鈥渋ncreasing restrictions" on rights defenders, journalists and 鈥減erceived critics鈥 in India. He urged U.S. authorities to ensure that voting is universal, alluding to discriminatory policies that restricted the right of Black Americans to vote.
In the run-up to from March 15-17, T眉rk said Russian authorities 鈥渉ave further intensified their repression of dissenting voices鈥 and noted how some candidates 鈥渉ave been prevented from running due to alleged administrative irregularities.鈥
He said Navalny's death in a Russian prison last month 鈥渁dds to my serious concerns about his persecution鈥 and noted how thousands of politicians, journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers and others have faced criminal or administrative charges for having 鈥渟imply spoken their minds on social media.鈥
T眉rk called for a swift and comprehensive review of all cases where people in Russia were detained for exercising fundamental freedoms, and 鈥渁n immediate end to the repression of independent voices and the legal professionals who represent them.鈥
"The future of the country depends on an open space,鈥 he said. March鈥檚 vote in Russia is all but guaranteed to see President Vladimir Putin, 71, cement his place in power until at least 2030.
Amb. Lotte Knudsen of the European Union said the European bloc and some other countries were 鈥渙utraged鈥 by Navalny's death, and 鈥渢he ultimate responsibility lies with President Putin and the Russian authorities.鈥
鈥淩ussia鈥檚 political leadership and authorities must be held to account," she said in a discussion following T眉rk's remarks. "Navalny鈥檚 courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to the cause of justice. Freedom and democracy will never be forgotten.鈥
No Russian envoy took the floor during the debate.
T眉rk spoke out against the perception of 鈥渞acially motivated鈥 police activity in some Western countries, and called on China to revise a criminal procedure law and the 鈥渧ague offense of 鈥榩icking quarrels and making trouble鈥欌 in one of its articles.
"I urge the release of human rights defenders, lawyers and others detained under such legislation,鈥 he said.
Ken Roth, a visiting professor and lecturer at Princeton University and former longtime head of Human Rights Watch, sharply criticized T眉rk's comments, saying the U.N. rights chief 鈥渃an鈥檛 get himself to condemn any aspect of the Chinese government鈥檚 repression, referring only to 'dialogue' and engagement with Beijing.鈥
In comments posted on Twitter, Roth called China 鈥渢he gravest global threat to human rights鈥 and said T眉rk鈥檚 鈥渞efusal to condemn China ... is dead wrong. He may be the wrong man for this job.鈥
China's top ambassador in Geneva, Chen Xu, said his country was open to dialogue on human rights, but would resist efforts to use them as a 鈥減retext to interfere in internal affairs鈥 and resist "baseless allegations against my country by any country.鈥
