European Union awards top rights prize to ICC
The International Criminal Court has won the European Union’s Sakharov Prize as it faces US sanctions announced by President Donald Trump’s administration…
The European Union awards top rights prize to the International Criminal Court as the tribunal faces US sanctions that could affect its work. The ICC received the Sakharov Prize, the EU’s top human rights honor, in an announcement made by European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola on Thursday.
The award signals European support for the court as President Donald Trump’s administration moves to penalize it over investigations involving the United States and its allies, including Israel. The announced sanctions are due to take effect in six months.
“The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this prize recognises the important work of the court in upholding international law and justice,” Metsola said.
The ICC, based in The Hague, said its staff and officials face unprecedented challenges. Its president, Tomoko Akane, said the prize affirmed the importance of independent courts and people working to uphold international law.
“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,” Akane said.
Sanctions put court operations in focus
The US measures aim to cripple the court’s day-to-day operations, according to the report. The Trump administration has said it wants to dismantle the tribunal, which tries individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The dispute centers in part on the court’s investigations into the United States and its allies. The administration has objected to judges issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged crimes in Gaza.
The measures have not yet taken effect. The EU has said it is ready to take necessary steps to ensure the court can continue working, while Brussels hopes to use the delay to persuade Washington to change course. It is also considering a “blocking statute” to shield the ICC from the US measures.
That uncertainty matters to the court’s ability to carry out its work: sanctions aimed at day-to-day operations could affect the institution and its officials before any change in the wider dispute. The EU has not said which protective measures it will adopt.
“The International Criminal Court must be free to pursue its mission, independently, and without pressure or intimidation,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted online after the award was announced.
Other finalists and December ceremony
The ICC was selected from three finalists. They also included Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu and twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, who represent people prosecuted by the Iranian government.
Lissu, head of Tanzania’s Chadema party, was detained in April 2025 and faces a possible death penalty if convicted of treason. He is accused of inciting the public to boycott elections last year, according to the report.
Taraneh and Romina Rahimi have also faced severe penalties. The report says Taraneh was sentenced to death and Romina to 36 years in prison for taking part in anti-government protests in Iran.
Political groupings in the EU put forward nominees, and senior lawmakers choose the winner. The Sakharov Prize, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, has been awarded annually since it was set up in 1988 to recognize work for human rights or democracy. The award ceremony is scheduled for December.
The sanctions are expected to come into force in six months.
Source: tribdem.com
