Recently appointed United Nations rights chief, Volker Turk, voiced alarm at the escalating conflict in Ukraine when he arrived at his post in the Swiss capital Geneva on Monday, insisting that civilians must be protected.
"Any escalation in warfare is deeply troubling to us, and it's happening in Ukraine," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told reporters in Geneva on his first day on the job.
Earlier on Monday, the Ukrainian capital Kyiv was hit by a barrage of attacks by what the Ukrainian president's office described as "kamikaze drones".
Those attacks came exactly a week after Russia unleashed a massive wave of missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital and cities across the country.
"We have received reports from our colleagues on the ground about these drone attacks," said Turk, who is succeeding Chilean former president Michelle Bachelet at the helm of the UN rights office.
"It is absolutely important that civilian objects, civilians, are not targeted", he said, warning, "This is very difficult in densely populated urban areas."
Turk, an Austrian national who has spent most of his career within the UN system, stressed that respect for international law was "absolutely critical".
"The big call is to de-escalate and to find ways and means to respect international law," he said.
"Ultimately, it is about human beings who are not involved in warfare, and they need to be protected."
Turk faces trouble with China
Apart from the human rights implications of on-going armed conflicts in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Syria, Yemen, to name just some of the worst situations, Volker Turk will also inherit a sensitive file on China.
Before her departure, Michelle Bachelet published a long-delayed report on possible crimes against humanity, allegedly committed by the Chinese authorities against the Uyghur minority in the north-western region of Xinjiang.
The 48-page report, which Beijing has repeatedly tried to stall, contains what UN officials call "credible evidence" of torture and sexual violence against members of the predominantly Muslim minority.
Agnès Callamard of Amnesty International has called on Turk to speak "loud and clear" on behalf of those whose human rights have been violated, even if the perpetrators are powerful states.
Adding racism in the United States to the list of tough tasks facing the new UNHCR head, Tirana Hassan of the NGO Human Rights Watch called on Turk to continue his organisation's crucial task of careful enquiry into alleged abuses, and fearless publication of the evidence found.
Distinguished UNHCR career
Volker Turk worked closely with UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, before his nomination to the post of Human Rights High Commissioner last month.
He served in key UNHCR headquarter positions, including as Director of the Division of International Protection (2009-2015), Director of Organisational Development and Management (2008-2009); and Chief of Section, Protection Policy and Legal Advice (2000-2004).
Turk also occupied various positions with UNHCR around the world, including as Representative in Malaysia, Assistant Chief of Mission in Kosovo and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Regional Protection Co-ordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Kuwait.
Turk holds a doctorate in international law from the University of Vienna and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Linz, Austria. He is fluent in English and French.
He has published widely on international refugee legislation and international human rights law.
