Fmr. ICC Judge Navanethem Pillay wins Nobel Peace Price

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has gone to former judge and UN human rights chief Navanethem Pillay. She is receiving the prize for her efforts for peace and international rights, the Norwegian Nobel Committee heard on Friday. The committee says that the South African has “significantly expanded the scope and impact of international law.” Pillay served as a judge at South Africa’s High Court, the Rwanda Tribunal, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Until recently, Pillay led the UN’s independent international commission investigating the occupied Palestinian territories. She now serves as a judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, which is hearing a case in which Myanmar is accused of genocide.

The chairman of the Nobel Committee called Pillay a “source of hope and inspiration” and praised her “exceptional courage and integrity.” He described international law as “the foundation for a more peaceful world,” while warning that the international legal system is under severe pressure. “Peace requires justice,” he said.

The committee’s chair said international law was chosen as this year’s focus because the institutions responsible for upholding it are under “enormous pressure, sanctions, and attacks.” The world is experiencing more conflicts than it has in many years, the chair said, making efforts to support and strengthen these institutions, and expand their work, essential to achieving greater peace.

The announcement comes amid growing tensions between the ICC and the United States, which has sanctioned senior officials at the court and is reportedly on the verge of imposing further penalties. Washington argues that the ICC is overstepping its jurisdiction.

A total of 287 people and organizations were nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize. Their names will remain confidential for the next 50 years.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize last year in recognition of her efforts to advance democracy in Venezuela. The decision drew widespread attention amid repeated statements by U.S. President Donald Trump that he wanted to win the award. Machado later offered to share the prize with Trump, but the Nobel committee ruled that it could not be shared.

Pillay said she was taken by surprise when she learned she had won this year's Nobel Peace Prize. She also joked about the possibility of “sharing” the award with Trump. Pillay learned she had won the prize while in court in Nuremberg. In a video posted on X by Amnesty International’s head, she can be seen receiving a round of applause lasting about 40 seconds. “Thank you so much,” Pillay said. “If you applaud a little more, I might share this prize with Trump.”

“I haven't heard anything about this,” Pillay said. “Is it true?” She explained that she had received a phone call shortly beforehand informing her of the award. Her first reaction, she told the audience, was that “it must be a joke.” As a lawyer and judge, she added, she wanted to verify the news before accepting it as fact.

“I think it is appropriate that I am surrounded by friends and colleagues who support human rights,” Pillay said. The Nobel Committee praised her courage in awarding her the prize, a recognition that surprised her. “When do you need courage to tell the truth? You interpret the law and consider all the facts to ensure impartial decision-making,” she said. She ended her brief speech by expressing hope that the Nobel Prize was “not a joke.”

The Nobel Prizes are awarded on December 10 each year. Unlike the other five Nobel Prizes, the Peace Prize is selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee and presented in Oslo. The remaining awards are handed out in Stockholm. The Peace Prize comes with a medal and prize money of nearly €1.1 million.