UN HCHR Türk urges political leaders to counter hate speech and end glorification of war criminals

Against this global backdrop, the High Commissioner issued a direct message on Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead of the country’s elections: “Ahead of elections in Bosnia, I urge political leaders to counter hate speech and discrimination, and to end the glorification of war criminals.”

Türk outlined seven priorities for the UN Human Rights Office in the coming years, including exposing economic interests that fuel conflicts, supporting comprehensive transitional justice centred on victims, strengthening mediation and confidence-building, increasing women’s participation and leadership in peace processes, supporting grassroots peacebuilding organizations, using human rights monitoring as an early-warning tool, and advancing accountability.

He emphasized that accountability is essential to sustainable peace and called on States to strengthen domestic accountability mechanisms, support the International Criminal Court and make use of universal jurisdiction where necessary so that those accused of atrocity crimes can face justice.

The High Commissioner also highlighted the importance of protecting civic space, including the rights to peaceful protest, freedom of expression and access to information, which he described as essential for building trust between people and their governments and for creating a bridge between frustration and dialogue.

The UN Human Rights Office will continue monitoring and documenting human rights violations, supporting States through technical cooperation and capacity-building, and working to prevent conflict and break cycles of violence, the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina said.