International Criminal Court receives Sakharov Prize

Honoring the European Parliament Sakharov Prize for the International Criminal Court As of: October 22, 2026 • 1:42 p.m

The International Criminal Court has received this year's Sakharov Prize. With the award, the EU Parliament recognizes the court's commitment to international law - and sends a signal against US President Trump's sanctions.

The European Parliament awards the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its representatives with the Sakharov Prize for Human Rights. EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the decision in Strasbourg. "The European Union is based on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this award recognizes the Court's important work in upholding international law and justice," Metsola said.

The prize will be awarded in December at the plenary session of Parliament in Strasbourg. The ICC, based in The Hague, has been prosecuting the most serious crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity since 2002. The Court has 125 contracting states.

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The Court thanked Parliament for the award. This is important support for the court and everyone who advocates for international law. Court President Tomoko Akane pointed out that the court is currently under great pressure from US sanctions.

The Sakharov Prize reaffirms the “importance of independent judicial authorities,” it said in a statement. "It underlines the importance of continued international cooperation and support so that the Court can carry out its mandate independently and impartially in the service of justice and the victims of the most serious crimes."

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The court is under pressure from the US government, especially because of the arrest warrant against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which has been in place since 2024. The USA accuses the Court, among other things, of acting with political motivation. Netanyahu is accused of war crimes in the Gaza Strip. He rejects the allegations. In addition to the USA and Israel, Russia, China and Turkey, among others, do not recognize the ICC.

The US government has been taking action against the court for a long time, including because of preliminary investigations against US citizens for possible war crimes in Afghanistan. As early as February 2025, Trump ordered sanctions against employees who, for example, could no longer receive emails or use credit cards. Sanctions were also imposed on court president Tomoko Akane. In September, US President Donald Trump called on states to withdraw from the ICC.

Shortly afterwards, at the beginning of October, the US government imposed sanctions on the court itself. This could result in the court being completely disconnected from digital and financial transactions, including banking transactions and emails. However, the measures should only come into force after 180 days.

The announcement came hours after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to South African lawyer Navanethem Pillay, who was a judge at the court from 2003 to 2008.

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The Sakharov Prize has been awarded by the European Parliament since 1988 to individuals or organizations committed to the defense of human rights and freedom of expression. It is endowed with 50,000 euros. The award is named after the Soviet dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Andrei Sakharov.

Parliament Speaker Metsola also paid tribute to the other nominees. Tundu Lissu campaigned for free and fair elections in Tanzania and is currently in prison.

The two sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi were nominated for the Sakharov Prize “on behalf of all those who are persecuted by the Islamic regime in Iran”. "Taraneh and Romina should actually have their whole lives ahead of them, but one faces the death penalty because of her protest, the other faces decades in prison," said Metsola. "They all now belong to our Sakharov family."

This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | Oct 22, 2026 | 12:45 p.m