UN human rights office welcomes Nobel Prize winner Pillay as staunch defender of human rights

FILE PHOTO: U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay addresses a news conference on the situation in Tunisia at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva — Valentin Flauraud GENEVA, Oct 9 (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office on Friday welcomed the news of Navi Pillay's Nobel Peace Prize win, acknowledging her longstanding advocacy for human rights."It is amazing news, we need more dedication and commitment to human rights," Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for theUN human rights office, told reporters in Geneva.Navi Pillay was the former head of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and a former International Criminal Court judge.In September last yearPillay oversaw the publishing of a report by the UN Commission of Inquiry that concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza and that top Israeli officials including Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu incited these acts - accusations that Israel called scandalous."We hope it will encourage and continue to encourage and inspire others to speak out in protection and promotion of the human rights of all people around the world," Mantoo said in reaction to Pillay's win. (Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, editing by Emanuele Berro and Linda Pasquini) This one's on us. The story doesn't end here. Our correspondents are already on the next chapter. Read everything they file, from $2/week. See Offers