EU awards human rights prize to International Criminal Court amid Trump attacks

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The European Parliament says this year's Sakharov Prize recognizes the International Criminal Court's "important work in upholding international law and justice." The tribunal in The Hague has faced escalating attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

ICC says Sakharov Prize particularly significant in face of 'unprecedented challenges'

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A view of a blue sign outside a building that reads, International Criminal Court.

The European Union has awarded its top human rights prize to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the international tribunal in The Hague that has come under attack from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

The European Parliament announced on Thursday that it was awarding the 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the ICC and its officials.

The decision "recognizes the Court's important work in upholding international law and justice," Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, said in a written statement.

Established by the Rome Statute, the ICC investigates and tries individuals accused of serious violations of international law, including genocide and crimes against humanity.

It has faced a widening pressure campaign from the Trump administration, which has accused the court of seeking to try Americans as well as U.S. allies.

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While the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the ICC can investigate alleged crimes that are committed in countries that are state parties — and it opened a probe in 2020 into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.

In 2024, the ICC also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza. Israel has rejected those allegations.

Since then, the Trump administration has imposed several rounds of sanctions on the ICC and some of its judges.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the latest curbs, issued on Oct. 9, were aimed at "crippling" the court's "ability to operate."

"Our message is clear: The United States and its people are not subject to the jurisdiction of the ICC," Rubio said at the time. "Either the ICC will end its threats or we will end the ICC."

The ICC denounced the measures as "an attempt to obstruct the course of justice" and "an assault on the rule of law."

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South African jurist Navanethem (Navi) Pillay has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her work advancing human rights and international law. Her career has included investigations into atrocities in Rwanda, Myanmar and Gaza, where her findings drew sharp criticism from Israel.

European prize 'carries particular significance'

Thursday's award marks the second time this month that the ICC and those affiliated with the court have been recognized for their work.

On Oct. 9, the same day that the U.S. announced its latest sanctions, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Navi Pillay, a former ICC judge and human rights expert.

The ICC welcomed the prize from the European Parliament, saying it comes at a time of "unprecedented challenges."

"Against this backdrop, the Sakharov Prize carries particular significance, reaffirming the importance of independent judicial institutions and of those who work to uphold international law," it said.

Named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, the prize is awarded annually to groups or individuals working in defence of human rights.