ICC wins EU's top rights prize while facing US sanctions

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday won the European Union’s top human rights award, the Sakharov Prize, in a show of support for a court facing US sanctions, Dawn and The Express Tribune reported.

The European Parliament gave its 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought jointly to the ICC and its senior officials.

“The European Union is founded on respect for multilateralism and international institutions. By awarding the Sakharov Prize to the International Criminal Court and its officials, Parliament recognises the important work carried out by the Court to uphold international law and justice,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, announcing the winners.

A court under pressure

This month, the United States announced sanctions against the ICC aimed at crippling the day-to-day work of the court, which tries individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, Dawn reported, citing AFP.

US President Donald Trump’s administration has vowed to dismantle the court “brick by brick”, furious that its judges issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged crimes in Gaza. The sanctions come into force in six months.

ICC President Tomoko Akane thanked the parliament for the prize “at a time when the Court and its officials face 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,” she said.

Europe’s response

• Von der Leyen: “The International Criminal Court must be free to pursue its mission, independently, and without pressure or intimidation,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen posted after the announcement.
• Ready to act: The EU has said it is “ready to take any necessary measures” to keep the court working.
• Blocking statute: Brussels hopes to use the delay before the sanctions apply to talk Washington down, but is also looking at a “blocking statute” to shield the court. Lawmakers have repeatedly called on the Commission to activate it, the Tribune reported.

The parliament noted that every EU member state is a party to the Rome Statute, which set up the ICC, and is obliged to carry out its decisions.

The other finalists

The ICC beat two other finalists:

• Tundu Lissu, head of Tanzania’s opposition Chadema party, detained since April 2025, who faces a possible death penalty if convicted of treason.
• Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, 21-year-old twin sisters sentenced in Iran to death and 36 years in prison respectively for taking part in anti-government protests.

A pattern of awards

The prize follows the Nobel Peace Prize for former ICC judge and UN rights chief Navi Pillay this month, a choice Trump called “disgraceful”. Pillay has called the US sanctions on the court unlawful.

Named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov and set up in 1988, the prize honours people and groups who defend human rights and democracy. Recent winners include Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, Russian Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and the people of Ukraine. The award ceremony will be held in Strasbourg in December.