UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Trump's Presidency is Dangerous for the World

Opposition to Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the United States, has transcended the borders of the country, with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights describing the potential election of the Republican candidate to the White House as 'dangerous' and 'very concerning.' The third week before the US presidential elections has been filled with intra-party and inter-party opposition and challenges for Donald Trump, which many American media outlets report have dealt severe blows to him and his campaign. On Wednesday, October 13, in Geneva, Switzerland, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that 'Trump's concerning and alarming views have presented him as a dangerous global figure.' Al-Hussein added, 'If Donald Trump is elected based on what he has said so far, I believe without any doubt from an international perspective, he will be a dangerous individual unless he changes his approach.' The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights elaborated on the accepted international norms regarding human rights, including the complete prohibition of any form of torture during interrogation, stating, 'Many of Trump's statements are directly contrary to accepted international principles and are deeply concerning.' Throughout his campaign, Trump has repeatedly emphasized the revival of harsh interrogation methods for those accused of terrorist acts, while he has not expressed any positive sentiments about the United Nations. He has stated that the UN 'has no connection to democracy and is not even friendly with the US, which hosts it.' The Washington Post noted that the Republican candidate's campaign has been accompanied by several controversial statements from the outset, with his recent remarks about women generating one of the biggest scandals. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, condemned Trump's remarks about women during a campaign rally in North Carolina on Tuesday night. Obama remarked on Trump, saying, 'He lacks the temperament, judgment, and awareness necessary, and apparently is devoid of the desire to learn or the honesty required for the presidency.' The President addressed the voters, stating, 'You can reject the dark and pessimistic vision of the country where everyone acts against each other and overlook America's leadership role in the world. Or you can cast aside anger and fear, denounce others, and choose an America filled with courage, optimism, generosity, and ingenuity.' On Wednesday, US media reported that John Podesta, the senior campaign manager for Hillary Clinton, stated that his private emails had been hacked, with the accusation directed at Russia. Podesta mentioned that the FBI is conducting extensive investigations into this matter. He accused Trump of being aware of this situation. However, Trump, in a counter-criticism, accused the US Department of Justice of colluding with Clinton's campaign to cover up what he called Clinton's 'illegal actions.' The Republican candidate also stated, 'WikiLeaks has revealed what I have warned about repeatedly and shown that the media are simply continuing Clinton's campaign. This is another way of the widespread cheating system.' He described reporters from media outlets like the Washington Post or New York Times as part of the corporate political machine. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, in remarks made in Moscow on Wednesday, absolved his government from involvement in hacking the US election computers and the Democratic Party officials. Putin stated, 'Some hackers have published information about how the Clinton campaign's headquarters has acted improperly to harm the opponent, and following that, excited accusations have begun that this action was done for Russia's interests, while it has nothing to do with Russia's interests.' Putin also claimed that the turmoil in the accusations against Russia was intended to manipulate public opinion. Alongside the unexpected developments occurring daily in the US, the comments from non-American officials highlight the significant importance of the US presidential elections on the international stage.