UN High Commissioner Volker Türk warns against war crimes and condemns threatening rhetoric in the war in the Middle East. He is asking for the protection of civilians.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk criticized “provocative rhetoric” in the Middle East war on Tuesday. He pointed out that deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are a war crime, reports TASR according to the AFP agency.
- Türk criticized provocative rhetoric in the war in the Middle East.
- Deliberate attacks on civilians are a war crime.
- Those responsible for international crimes should be brought to justice.
“Under international law, the deliberate attack on civilians and civilian infrastructure is a war crime,” Türk said in a statement. “Everyone responsible for international crimes must be brought to justice,” he emphasized.
The commissioner made the comments after US President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric against Iran. He threatened the Islamic Republic with the “total destruction” of critical infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if it does not reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
He did not directly criticize those involved
The head of the White House gave Tehran a deadline of 20:00 EST (Wednesday 2:00 CEST). “An entire civilization will die tonight and never come back. I don’t want it to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network on Tuesday.
Türk did not directly mention the United States or other countries involved in the conflict, which began on February 28. “I condemn the wave of provocative rhetoric used by all sides in the war in the Middle East over the past few weeks,” he wrote, also pointing to “the latest threats to destroy an entire civilization and attack civilian infrastructure.” He described them as “disgusting”, saying they spread terror and fear among civilians and were unacceptable. The High Commissioner called on the international community to take urgent steps to de-escalate the situation and protect civilian lives.
