EU Parliament awards Sakharov Prize to ICC in rebuke of US sanctions
The European Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize to the International Criminal Court in a show of support after the US imposed sanctions on the institution.
On Thursday, the European Parliament bestowed the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought upon the International Criminal Court (ICC), issuing a rebuke to the United States' sanctions that threaten the court's work. This annual award recognizes individuals and organizations advocating for human rights and fundamental freedoms; past recipients include Nelson Mandela and Alexei Navalny.
Following criticism of the ICC's arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its investigation into US troops in Afghanistan, the US administration imposed sanctions on the court on October 9. French MEP Chloé Ridel, who proposed the ICC for the prize, emphasized that this decision sends a message of hope and resistance to Donald Trump, pledging to stand with the court "as long as it takes."
While Tanzanian lawyer Tundu Lissu and Iranian sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi were also nominated, the Socialists and Democrats group ultimately put forward the ICC and its officials. The decision came as a surprise to some insiders, who had anticipated Lissu would be honored. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the threat of sanctions against the ICC as "not acceptable," reiterating the bloc's commitment to international law, though European action remains to be seen.
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