France says US no longer a “beacon of human rights” after UN vote

France’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva said the United States can no longer be considered a “beacon of human rights.” The statement was released following a UN vote to extend the mandate of Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today it stands side by side with North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali and Russia, in isolation. And the world no longer listens to it,” the mission said.

This was its comment on the UN vote to extend the mandate of Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The United States, Russia, Israel, Argentina and a number of other countries voted against.

Mike Waltz, US Ambassador to the UN, responded by saying that “France voted for someone who lectures free, sovereign democracies such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel, while cozying up to the world’s most brutal oppressors.”

Turk has repeatedly criticized Israel in his role over its actions against Palestinians.