ICC Receives EU Parliament’s Top Human Rights Award
WHO:
Fortune - European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the award.
Fortune - ICC President Tomoko Akane welcomed the award, saying it “comes at a time when the court and its officials face unprecedented challenges.”
Fortune - Imprisoned Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu and imprisoned Iranian demonstrators Taraneh and Romina Rahimi were the other shortlisted candidates.
POLITICO.eu - The International Criminal Court (ICC) received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the European Parliament’s human-rights award.
POLITICO.eu - The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group nominated the ICC.
POLITICO.eu - S&D vice-chair Yannis Maniatis said the group stood by the ICC and its officials.
POLITICO.eu - Past Sakharov Prize recipients included Nelson Mandela, Alexei Navalny, Belarusian journalists, and the people of Ukraine.
ABC News - The ICC won the European Union’s top human-rights honor, the Sakharov Prize.
WHAT:
Fortune - Metsola said the prize recognizes the court’s work “in upholding international law and justice”; her announcement was greeted with a standing ovation.
Fortune - Akane said the prize reaffirmed the importance of independent judicial institutions and those working to uphold international law.
Fortune - The ICC opened in 2002 as a court of last resort. Its jurisdiction covers war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.
Fortune - U.S. sanctions cut off the ICC from U.S.-based financial services and technology companies, as well as use of U.S. dollars; affected U.S. businesses and individuals have six months to wind down their dealings with the court.
Fortune - EU leaders said the bloc “deeply regrets” the sanctions and urged the United States to reverse them, while expressing hope diplomacy could succeed and pledging readiness to take necessary measures if it failed.
Fortune - EU leaders tasked the European Commission with initiatives to protect the ICC and help EU companies continue providing services to it. A possible response is the EU “blocking statute,” which could prevent European companies from complying with U.S. measures.
Fortune - The Sakharov Prize was created in 1988. The European Parliament describes it as “the highest tribute paid by the European Union to human rights work.”
POLITICO.eu - The European Parliament awarded the ICC the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
POLITICO.eu - The prize is worth €50,000 and honors defenders of human rights and freedom of thought.
POLITICO.eu - Maniatis said: “We stand by the ICC and its officials, and we are committed to safeguarding its work. We must guarantee that the ICC is able to operate independently, free from pressure or external interference.”
POLITICO.eu - Maniatis described the ICC as “a people-based organization, not a political one” and warned that allowing international justice to erode could let those who believe themselves above the law prevail.
WHERE:
POLITICO.eu - The European Parliament’s award ceremony traditionally takes place during the December plenary session in Strasbourg.
POLITICO.eu - The ICC is located in The Hague.
WHEN:
Fortune - U.S. sanctions allow a six-month wind-down period for affected business with the ICC.
WHY:
POLITICO.eu - The S&D group nominated the ICC following U.S. President Donald Trump’s sanctions on the court.
HOW:
POLITICO.eu - Two people with knowledge of the decision told POLITICO.eu that the ICC had won the prize.
POLITICO.eu - Shortlisted candidates are traditionally invited to the Parliament’s award ceremony.
POLITICO.eu - The prize is named in honor of Andrei Sakharov, a Soviet physicist and political dissident.
(UPDATED October 22, 2026 22:13 UTC)
The International Criminal Court has won the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the European Union’s top human-rights honor. Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the award, saying it recognizes the court’s work upholding international law and justice. The prize, worth €50,000, was created in 1988 to honor defenders of human rights and freedom of thought. The Hague-based court opened in 2002 and handles cases involving war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression. ICC President Tomoko Akane said the award came as the court and its officials faced unprecedented challenges, and affirmed the importance of independent justice. The Socialists and Democrats group nominated the court after President Trump imposed sanctions. Those measures restrict its access to U.S. financial services, technology and dollars, with affected businesses given six months to wind down dealings.
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(UPDATED October 22, 2026 13:21 UTC)
The International Criminal Court has received the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the European Union’s top human-rights honor. The award recognizes defenders of human rights and freedom of thought and is worth €50,000. The Socialists and Democrats group nominated the court after President Trump imposed sanctions on it. S&D vice-chair Yannis Maniatis said the group stood by the ICC and its officials, and was committed to protecting the court’s ability to work independently, without pressure or outside interference. He described it as an organization serving people, not a political one, and warned that weakening international justice could allow those who consider themselves above the law to prevail. The ICC is based in The Hague. Past prize recipients include Nelson Mandela, Alexei Navalny, Belarusian journalists and the people of Ukraine. The award is named for Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov.