Crimeupdated 1h ago2 min read
European Parliament Awards 2026 Sakharov Prize to International Criminal Court and Roberta Metsola
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European Parliament awarded the EU's 2026 prize for freedom of thought to International Criminal Court It was issued amid US sanctions targeting ICC officials and proceedings
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ICC wins Sakharov Prize
The European Parliament awarded the 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought jointly to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its senior officials, recognizing their work in upholding international law and justice. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the winners to the full assembly in Geneva, saying, "By awarding the Sakharov Prize to the International Criminal Court and its officials, Parliament recognizes the important work carried out by the Court to uphold international law and justice,".
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in December in Strasbourg, and the European Parliament highlighted the ICC investigations, prosecutions, trials, and issuance or authorization of arrest warrants for serious international crimes including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The European Parliament also framed the decision as recognition amid concerns over sanctions imposed on the court since 2025, particularly by the US, targeting prosecutors, judges, staff, and partners.
Sanctions and independence
The ICC welcomed the Sakharov Prize while warning that the court faces "unprecedented challenges," including sanctions aimed at impeding its jurisdiction. ICC President Judge Toomoku Akani said, "the Court and its staff are confronted with unprecedented challenges, including sanctions aimed at impeding its jurisdiction,".
The European Parliament linked the award to its concerns that US sanctions threaten the court’s independence and impartiality, and lawmakers repeatedly called on the European Commission to activate the EU blocking statute to protect ICC officials from the extraterritorial effects of sanctions. The European Parliament stressed that all EU member states are parties to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, and are obligated to implement its decisions.
Finalists and what next
The European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize decision came as the ICC faced US sanctions announced on 9 October, and the Parliament highlighted its support for the court’s work in upholding international law and global justice.
French MEP Chloé Ridel, who nominated the court, said, "This is a message of hope and resistance sent to Donald Trump. We will not abandon the rule of law and international justice. We will stand with the ICC for as long as it takes,".
The European Parliament chose the ICC over two other shortlisted candidates, Tanzanian lawyer Tundu Lissu and Iranian sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, and it described the choice as a rebuke of US sanctions threatening the court’s work.
The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the threat of sanctions against the ICC as "not acceptable" on 9 October, while the European Parliament said the EU has yet to take concrete action.