U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres says human rights are being “suffocated” around the world, lashing out at voices of division and anger who see them as a barrier to their quest for power and profit.

General António Guterres on Monday warned that human rights are being "suffocated" globally, criticizing voices of division and anger that view human rights as obstacles to their pursuit of power and profit.

The United Nations chief warned Monday that human rights were being "suffocated" globally, including by wars and violence as well as autocrats crushing opposition and trampling on international law. "Human rights are the oxygen of humanity,

"The global consensus on human rights is crumbling under the weight of authoritarians, strongmen and oligarchs," United Nations High Commissioner Volker Turk told a high-level meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.