ICC Wins EU’s Top Human Rights Award Amid Unprecedented Challenges

The International Criminal Court (ICC), facing intense pressure including US sanctions, has received the European Union’s (EU) top human rights honour, the Sakharov Prize. ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane described the period as one of “unprecedented challenges” for the court.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Akane said the award reaffirmed the importance of independent judicial institutions and those working to uphold international law. “In this conflict-ridden world, peace cannot be achieved without justice, nor security without law,” she added.

The announcement came just days after former ICC judge Navi Pillay received the Nobel Peace Prize. Analysts say these recent international recognitions send a strong message of global support for the court during a period of crisis.

In February, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC. The then US administration accused the court of taking “illegal and baseless actions” against the United States and Israel. US pressure and sanctions against the international court intensified following the issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.