Nobel peace laureate Navi Pillay speaks out against US sanctions on ICC

The winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, Navi Pillay has called U.S. sanctions on the International Criminal Court “unacceptable.”

On Friday, the South African former ICC judge was named the winner for her efforts to promote peace and international law laid the groundwork for a more comprehensive global legal order.

US President Donald Trump voiced his dissatisfaction with the pick and hours later the US unveiled sweeping sanctions in a key effort to dismantle what it branded as a rogue court.

Speaking via video link during an event at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo on Saturday, “There is so much tension and anxiety over the continued existence of international courts, mainly the International Criminal Court in The Hague.”

“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 US has granted a six-month reprieve before the latest measure takes effect, meaning member states can continue funding its operations-a significant move Washington says is to grant nations a window to negotiate an accommodation for US concerns.

The Trump administration maintains that the tribunal is controlled by internationalists who compromise domestic sovereignty.

According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the US decision is a major setback for global accountability of which the ICC is a key pillar.

“If you clap a little bit more I may share this prize with Trump,” Pillay joked after receiving the prize, referencing Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado presenting her award to the US president. Trump declared the selection of Pillay as 2026’s winner disgraceful and embarrassing and an “indelible stain on the country of Norway.”