South African former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay wins Nobel Peace Prize

Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, a South African judge, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law. According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Pillay, 85, has held states and national leaders accountable and brought hope to victims of violence and conflict throughout her career.

Pillay previously served as a judge in several key international court cases, including chairing the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The commission concluded that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, a finding that Israel dismissed as "scandalous", according to SABC News.

The Nobel Peace Prize, worth 12 million Swedish crowns or about $1.2 million, will be presented to Pillay in Oslo on December 10. The award recognizes her long career, which has included defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up against apartheid, as well as her service as a judge in international courts, said the Norwegian Nobel Committee, as reported by SABC News.

Brief written by urgent.news from RFI English, Al-Monitor, SABC News, Bernama, IOL — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.