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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, who has openly criticized the Trump administration’s human rights record, has made the unusual decision to not seek a second four-year term, saying it “might involve bending a knee in supplication.”

The decision by the official, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, a Jordanian prince and former diplomat, was conveyed in a short statement that was emailed to his staff early Wednesday and shared with The New York Times. His four-year term expires next September.

“After reflection, I have decided not to seek a second four-year term,” he wrote. “To do so, in the current geo-political context, might involve bending a knee in supplication; muting a statement of advocacy; lessening the independence and integrity of my voice — which is your voice.”

Most United Nations officials choose to stay in office for as long as their mandate allows, though it has been unclear for months whether Mr. al-Hussein’s boss, Secretary General António Guterres, would renew his term, or whether the five veto-wielding members of the Security Council would allow him to do so.

Mr. al-Hussein has been critical of all of them.

He has been outspoken about the Russian-backed government of Syria. He has warned of the prospects of genocide by the Chinese-backed government of Myanmar. And he has called out the Trump administration several times, most pointedly on the travel ban against citizens of Muslim-majority countries and after the demonstrations by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va.

In his email to this staff, he said, “There are many months ahead of us: months of struggle, perhaps, and even grief — because although the past year has been arduous for many of us, it has been appalling for many of the people we serve.”


*New York Times