The International Criminal Court was awarded the European Union’s top human rights prize on Thursday, a move that risks upsetting United States President Donald Trump. The International Criminal Court award, the Sakharov Prize, was announced in Strasbourg by European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola. The court tries individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- This month: the United States announced sanctions against the court, aimed at crippling its day-to-day operations.
- This month: former ICC judge Navi Pillay was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, a choice Trump called “disgraceful”.
- This month, on Thursday: the court was awarded the Sakharov Prize in Strasbourg.
- In six months: the US sanctions are due to come into force.
- December: an award ceremony will be held for the prize.
Why the timing matters
The International Criminal Court award comes after the US sanctions were announced earlier this month. The Trump administration has vowed to dismantle the court “brick by brick”, angered by judges’ arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged crimes in Gaza. Brussels hopes to use the six-month gap before the sanctions apply to talk Washington down.
The prize also follows the Nobel Peace Prize awarded this month to former ICC judge Navi Pillay, who also served as UN rights chief. Trump slammed that choice as “disgraceful”, arguing the award should have gone to him.
What the prize recognises and what comes next
Metsola said the EU is built on respect for multilateralism, meaning cooperation between countries through shared institutions, and that the prize recognises the court’s work in upholding international law and justice. The court’s President, Tomoko Akane, thanked Parliament and said the award carries particular weight at a time when the court and its officials face unprecedented challenges.
The Sakharov Prize was set up in 1988 and is named after the Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov. It is given each year to people or organisations working for human rights or democracy. This year the court was one of three finalists, alongside Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu and twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, who represent people prosecuted by the Iranian government.
The EU has said it is ready to take any necessary measures to keep the court working. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote online that the court must be free to pursue its mission, independently and without pressure or intimidation. Brussels is also considering a “blocking statute”, a legal tool that would shield the court from Washington.
The sanctions have not yet taken effect, so the coming months will show whether talks with the United States can ease the pressure. An award ceremony will be held in December.
Aasan alfaaz mein
EU ne International Criminal Court ko Sakharov Prize diya hai, jo Strasbourg mein elaan hua. Yeh inaam us waqt aaya hai jab America ne court par sanctions lagane ka elaan kiya hai, jo chhe mahine baad lagu hongi. EU court ko kaam jaari rakhne ke liye zaroori iqdaam ka wada kar raha hai. Aam Pakistani ke liye iska seedha asar abhi nahi hai, lekin yeh bain-ul-aqwami insaf ke liye ahem hai.
