Nobel Peace Prize 2026 awarded to ICC jurist Navanethem "Navi" Pillay

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 was awarded Friday to Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, a South African human rights champion and judge on the International Criminal Court. The Nobel Committee said awarding the prestigious prize to someone on the ICC, which has faced huge pressure from the Trump administration, was a message to those who seek to undermine international justice.The South African-born former United Nations human rights chief, who is 85 years old, was recognized for her efforts to promote peace and international law, said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee."This is definitely a message to those who are undermining the international system and institutions," Frydnes said. The ICC has come under fire from the Trump administration over the last year, with the U.S. imposing sanctions against the U.N. court after it issued an arrest warrant in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Trump accused the court of "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel."The ICC condemned the U.S. sanctions against its staff and said they were intended to "harm (the Court's) independent and impartial judicial work."Fr...