| UNODC Head Is Out in
Vienna As UN Volker Turk
Eyes Space & Position
Censorship Spreads
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
UN GATE,
May 30 – 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 Austrian crony
Volker Turk more than two
years ago.
Now in Vienna,
the head of UNODC is out -
staff sent Inner City Press
this: " Dear
Colleagues, It is
with a heavy heart that I am
writing to you today to inform
you of my decision to step
down as your
Director-General/Executive
Director. I wanted all
colleagues to hear this news
from me personally before the
announcement is made
public. Some of
you know that I lost my mother
a few weeks ago after a long
illness, and it remains my
great regret that I was not
able to spend adequate time
with her in her last
months. I am
dedicated to this Office, to
the mission of UNODC and the
United Nations, and it is a
difficult decision. But I take
it with immense conviction
that this is the time to reset
priorities and personal goals.
At this stage in my life, it
is crucial for me to spend
quality time with my loved
ones, focus on taking care of
my father and on creating
lasting memories with my
grandchildren. I have thus
submitted my resignation to
the Secretary-General who has
graciously accepted it.
[Fired] I will remain in
my position during the
transition period and will
update you about the timing
and arrangements for our
Office."
Really? UNODC is
expected to be dissolved in
December. OHCHR (Austrian -
Volker Turk) and personnel are
tipped to move into the empty
office in the D and E towers
of the Vienna International
Centre. But UNODC has 100
offices worldwide.
Turk dreams of an
elected position in Austria.
But:
From OHCHR
staff: Dear Mr Lee, The staff
in OHCHR is demanding the
resignation of High
Commissioner Volker Turk,
Guterres crony, deputy high
commissioner Nada Al Nashif,
corrupt chief of
administration Kim Taylor and
all the senior
management. Yesterday
Volker Turk called for a
townhall to explain the
disastrous financial situation
blaming the US and Donald
Trump when the reality is that
OHCHR already had a 60 million
USD deficit in January 2025
due to ample mismanagement by
HC, DHC and senior management
the previous 2 years. Volker
Turk gave no answers and
Taylor and the new chief of
operations, Maarit Kohonen,
aggressively attacked staff
who dared to ask what the
plans are.
Turk as a staffer
on Guterres' 38th floor did
nothing when his boss Guterres
had the critical Press roughed
up and thrown out. There
has been no due process since,
not even a response to Guterres'
Melissa Fleming to a pro bono inquiry
for Inner City Press from the
law firm Quinn Emanuel. Some
human righters.
***
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