Theresa May has given a “gift to despots” by claiming that human rights laws should not stand in the way of the fight against terrorism, a top UN chief said.

The UN high commissioner for human rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, blasted the Prime Minister’s “highly regrettable” remarks that human rights laws should be overturned if they were “to get in the way” of stopping extremists.

“Whatever the intention behind her remarks, they were highly regrettable, a gift from a major western leader to every authoritarian figure around the world who shamelessly violates human rights under the pretext of fighting terrorism,” he said.

During the annual Grotius lecture for the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, the Prince blamed the current climate in the UK, whipped up by tabloid newspapers and fear-mongering and which put at risk laws which were enshrined after the two world wars.

“Human rights law has long been ridiculed by an influential tabloid press here in the UK, feeding with relish on what it paints as the absurd findings of the European court of human rights in Strasbourg,” he said, as reported by The Guardian.

“This viewpoint has some resonance with a slice of the public unaware of the importance of international human rights law – often seen by far too many people as too removed from everyday life, very continental, too lawyerly, too activist, ultimately too weird.”

Human rights attacks around the world Show all 10 1 /10 Human rights attacks around the world Human rights attacks around the world China Escalating crackdown against human rights activists including mass arrests of lawyers and a series of sweeping laws in the name of ‘national security’. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Egypt The arrest of thousands, including peaceful critics, in a ruthless crackdown in the name of national security, the prolonged detention of hundreds without charge or trial and the sentencing of hundreds of others to death. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Gambia Torture, enforced disappearances and the criminalisation of LGBTI people; and utter refusal to co-operate with the UN and regional human rights mechanisms on issues including freedom of expression, enforced disappearance and the death penalty. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Hungary Sealing off its borders to thousands of refugees in dire need; and obstructing collective regional attempts to help them. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Israel Maintaining its military blockade of Gaza and therefore collective punishment of the 1.8 million inhabitants there, as well as failing, like Palestine, to comply with a UN call to conduct credible investigations into war crimes committed during the 2014 Gaza conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Kenya Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and discrimination against refugees in its counter-terrorism operations; and attempts to undermine the International Criminal Court and its ability to pursue justice. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Pakistan The severe human rights failings of its response to the horrific Peshawar school massacre including its relentless use of the death penalty; and its policy on international NGOs giving authorities the power to monitor them and close them down if they are considered to be “against the interests” of the country. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Russia Repressive use of vague national security and anti-extremism legislation and its concerted attempts to silence civil society in the country; its shameful refusal to acknowledge civilian killings in Syria and its callous moves to block Security Council action on Syria. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Saudi Arabia Brutally cracking down on those who dared to advocate reform or criticise the authorities; and committing war crimes in the bombing campaign it has led in Yemen (pictured) while obstructing the establishment of a UN-led inquiry into violations by all sides in the conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Syria Killing thousands of civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks with barrel bombs and other weaponry and through acts of torture in detention; and enforcing lengthy sieges of civilian areas, blocking international aid from reaching starving civilians. Getty Images

He spoke against Ms May’s warning that she would restrict the freedom and movement of terrorist suspects if they were judged to be a threat, even if there was “not enough evidence to prosecute them in full in court”.

After recent terrorist attacks in the UK, including a bomb which killed 22 people in Manchester and the death of eight people at London Bridge, Ms May promised sweeping reforms to internet regulations in order to stamp down on extremism online.

Ms May, the former Home Secretary, has repeatedly called for the UK to leave the European court of human rights, yet the high commissioner said that “British ink, reflecting an enormously rich legal tradition, is found throughout the European convention on human rights.”

The high commissioner previously attacked Donald Trump for whipping up fears of immigrants.