The 2026 European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its staff. This was announced by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metzola, quoted by DPA, reports News.bg.
„The European Union is built on respect for multilateral cooperation and international institutions, and this award recognizes the important work of the Court in promoting international law and justice“, Metzola said.
The announcement of the laureate was greeted with a standing ovation from the deputies of the European Parliament.
The Hague-based International Criminal Court has been prosecuting the perpetrators of the most serious international crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, since 2002.
The award comes at a time when the institution is under serious pressure from the United States. Washington recently imposed sanctions on the court and its employees, threatening to “liquidate“ the institution.
The United States has accused the ICC of political bias after the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
Once the sanctions come into force, transactions with the International Criminal Court will be banned. Neither the United States nor Israel are parties to the treaty that established the institution.
The European Parliament's decision comes after the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to South African lawyer Navi Pillay, who served as a judge at the International Criminal Court from 2003 to 2008.
Among the finalists for the “Sakharov“ for 2026 were Tundu Lisu - an imprisoned lawyer and human rights defender from Tanzania, as well as the detained Iranian sisters Tarane and Romina Rahimi.
The award ceremony will be held in December at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Roberta Mezzola said.
The “Sakharov“ Prize was established in 1988 and is named after the Soviet nuclear physicist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Andrei Sakharov.