Geneva, As the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda approaches, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has expressed deep sorrow for the lives lost and called for renewed global efforts to pursue justice and prevent future genocides.

According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Turk paid tribute to the more than one million victims of the genocide, emphasizing the importance of remembering those who perished and praising the survivors for their resilience and pursuit of reconciliation. He highlighted the critical need for countries worldwide to intensify actions to bring suspected perpetrators to justice, utilizing mechanisms like universal jurisdiction, and to counteract hate speech and incitement to genocide.

The High Commissioner reminded the international community of the lessons from Rwanda, pointing out that the genocide, while reaching its peak in April 1994, was the culmination of extended periods of entrenched hate, discrimination, and incitement. Turk stressed that the events in Rwanda must serve as a perpetual warning and motivation for all nations to actively work towards preventing the crime of genocide, ensuring such atrocities never occur again.