The European Parliament on Thursday awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the International Criminal Court (ICC), expressing support for the institution following US sanctions that threaten its work.
The prize is awarded annually to individuals and organizations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. Previous recipients include South African leader Nelson Mandela and Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, Telegrafi reports.
The administration of US President Donald Trump announced sanctions against the ICC on October 9, following repeated criticism over the arrest warrant issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and investigations into the actions of US troops in Afghanistan.
“This is a message of hope and resistance to Donald Trump. We will not abandon the rule of law and international justice. We will stand by the ICC for as long as necessary,” said French Member of the European Parliament Chloé Ridel, who had nominated the court.
The leaders of political groups in the European Parliament selected the ICC from a shortlist of three finalists. The other nominees were Tanzanian lawyer Tundu Lissu, who faces political persecution, and Iranian sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, nominated on behalf of people persecuted by Iranian authorities.
The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group had proposed the court and its officials, while other political groups ultimately backed the nomination. The decision surprised some people within Parliament, who had expected the prize to go to Lissu.
Last week, MEPs from various political groups urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to protect the Netherlands-based court from the consequences of US sanctions.
They called for the use of “all available instruments,” particularly the EU Blocking Statute, which aims to protect European companies and individuals from the effects of certain sanctions imposed by third countries.
On October 9, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described threats to impose sanctions on the ICC as “unacceptable” and reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to international law. However, the European Union has yet to take concrete measures in response to the US sanctions.
