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Newly named Nobel Peace Prize laureate Navi Pillay has condemned fresh US sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as “unheard of” and “unacceptable.”
Speaking via video link at the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, the 85-year-old South African lawyer highlighted the severe strain facing international judicial institutions, warning that hundreds of ICC staff members now feel threatened following Washington’s penalties against judges for issuing judicial orders.
The condemnation follows the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s announcement on Friday awarding Pillay the prestigious prize for her long-standing human rights career, which includes serving on the ICC, as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and leading a UN inquiry into Gaza.
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Hours after the announcement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared a ban on transactions with the Hague-based tribunal, describing it as a “rogue court.”
The ICC swiftly rejected the measures, calling them an attack on international law and declaring that “history will judge this moment.”
“Most importantly, sanctions have been announced by one country against the judges, just for the judicial orders they issue. This is unheard of, unacceptable.”
The award drew sharp criticism from both Washington and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Nobel committee of losing its moral compass, while Israel’s foreign ministry called the award an attempt to legitimise hatred.
US President Donald Trump also criticised the decision at a rally in New York, describing the committee’s choice as “disgraceful and embarrassing.”
