The International Criminal Court (ICC) has won this year’s Sakharov Prize, awarded by the European Union to individuals and organizations in recognition of their work to support and protect human rights and democracy.
The decision to award the Netherlands-based court, and its officials, was announced by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
“The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this prize recognizes the important work of the Court in upholding international law and justice,” Metsola said in the European Parliament.
In naming the ICC as the prize winner, Metsola also took time to recognize the two other finalists: Tanzania opposition leader Tundu Lissu and the Iranian twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi.
The prize ceremony will take place in December.
What is the International Criminal Court?
Set up in 2002 in the Hague, the ICC is responsible for prosecuting the most serious of crimes, including crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The ICC has recently come under sanctions from the US government under President Donald Trump in response to it issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The awarding of the Sakharov Prize is a further show of support after former ICC judge Navi Pillay was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
More to come…
