by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
UN GATE, Sept 15 – How corrupt and decrepit has the UN system become under Antonio Guterres, in this case due to Guterres? Today's example is again from the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, to which Guterres appointed his unqualified crony Volker Turk more than two years ago.
From OHCHR staff: Dear Mr Lee, Volker Turk continues destroying OHCHR after the summer hiding behind Guterres’ UN80 initiative...
Only junior staff has been terminated so far, no P5, D1 or D2. OHCHR is about power clicks, corruption and conflict of interest. Today, it was announced that Francesco Motta, another Volker Turk personal protege, known for his absences, and Australian with no experience in Europe, will head the Europe hub in Vienna although there is no agreement with the Austrian government for the staff being there.
In the meantime Turk considers the promotion of his friend Matthias Behnke, mainly absent, but praised for his “hard work and dedication and skillful leadership” (none of this seen by the staff, embassies or human rights community). Turk is a personal friend of Mathias and Azra Behnke both over promoted by Maarit Kohonen who favored her husband from P1 to P4.
Everyone is born free and equal except Volker Turk’s friends who are more equal. Definitely P2 and P3s are not equal in rights in OHCHR. Those who have not been fired yet are waiting to be fired or to be forcibly transferred. OHCHR management only cares about themselves. No one cares about the impact on our families or where our children will go to school. In the meantime Volker Turk keeps favoring his friends and OIOS turns a blind eye to corruption and they know Turk feels protected by Guterres. Turk’s mandate ends in one year and member states should carefully review his performance when they appoint a new High Commissioner.
Inner City Press re-applied to re-enter the UN on June 19, 2025 - no answer at all from Melissa Fleming, Tel Mekel, Stephane Dujarric. Today's UN is corrupt.
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