European Parliament awards Sakharov Prize to the ICC and its staff amid US sanctions
In short
The European Parliament announced on 22 October that this year's Sakharov Prize goes to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its staff. Parliament President Metsola said the prize recognises the court's work in upholding international law and justice. ICC head Tomoko Akane thanked the Parliament in a statement, saying the award comes as the court faces unprecedented difficulties, including sanctions.
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The European Parliament announced on 22 October that this year's Sakharov Prize goes to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its staff. The prize honours individuals and groups who have worked to protect human rights and the rule of law, according to a Kyodo report carried by Nikkei and Tokyo Shimbun. NHK and TBS NEWS DIG likewise reported that the Parliament chose the ICC and its staff. [ 2 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Parliament President Metsola explained the choice by saying the Parliament recognises the ICC's important work in upholding international law and justice. She said the EU is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, according to Mainichi Shimbun and TBS NEWS DIG. [ 2 , 7 , 9 ]
ICC head Tomoko Akane (赤根智子) issued a statement on the day. According to Asahi Shimbun, she said the prize comes as the ICC faces unprecedented difficulties, including sanctions that obstruct the court and its staff from carrying out their mission. She said it carries special significance in reaffirming the importance of an independent judicial body and of the people working to uphold international law. The statement also said the award recognises international justice as the foundation of lasting peace, and it ended with the words: "in a world of increasing conflict, there is no peace without justice and no security without law." TBS NEWS DIG reported that the statement stressed the importance of continued cooperation and support from the international community. [ 3 , 7 , 13 ]
The award comes after the United States took action against the court. TBS NEWS DIG reported that on 9 October the US government announced it was designating the ICC as a sanctions target. It reported that the EU summit then adopted a document demanding that the sanctions be withdrawn and said the EU would take every measure to keep the court's work going. Mainichi Shimbun said the Trump administration had designated the ICC and that the move showed Europe's strong support for the rule of law. Kyodo's report describes the court as facing a crisis over its survival. [ 2 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
Kyodo also reported that the ICC was a finalist together with Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu (トゥンドゥ・リス) and the twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, who were sentenced to death in Iran after taking part in anti-government protests. The ceremony is to be held in mid-December at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. The prize commemorates Sakharov, a dissident scientist of the former Soviet Union, and Nelson Mandela was among the first laureates in 1988. [ 2 , 8 ]
Kyodo's report added that on 9 October the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Pillay, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights who served as an ICC judge from 2003 to 2008. It said the two awards have put the ICC and the importance of the rule of law in the spotlight again. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
Japanese outlets describe the award as a fresh show of European support for the ICC, which the Trump administration has designated for sanctions. Kyodo's report says the court faces a crisis over its survival.
Key facts
- The European Parliament announced on 22 October that the Sakharov Prize this year goes to the ICC and its staff. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 13 ]
- Parliament President Metsola said the Parliament recognises the ICC's important work in upholding international law and justice. [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The award ceremony is to be held in mid-December at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. [ 2 , 8 , 9 , 13 ]
- The ICC was a finalist alongside Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu and the Iranian twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi. [ 2 , 8 ]
- The ICC, based in The Hague, has been designated a sanctions target by the United States. [ 3 , 7 , 9 ]
- Tomoko Akane (赤根智子), the head of the ICC, said in a statement: "there is no peace without justice, and no security without law." [ 3 , 7 , 13 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The European Parliament chose the ICC and its staff as this year's Sakharov Prize recipients. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 13 ]
- Metsola gave the reason that the Parliament recognises the ICC's important work in upholding international law and justice. [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- The ICC issued a statement saying the award comes amid unprecedented difficulties, including sanctions. [ 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 ]
- The ceremony is to be held in December in Strasbourg. [ 2 , 8 , 9 , 13 ]
Still unclear
- The exact date of the December award ceremony. Documents give only mid-December or December, and Strasbourg as the venue.
- The date and scope of the US sanctions designation. Only one outlet (TBS NEWS DIG) gives a date (9 October) for the US announcement, and none of the documents describes what the sanctions consist of.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Jiji Press reports that the European Parliament chose the ICC for this year's Sakharov Prize. [ 1 ]
- A Kyodo report carried by Nikkei says the Parliament announced the award to the ICC and its staff. [ 2 ]
- Asahi Shimbun reports Akane's statement on the award. [ 3 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports the award, the EU summit's reaction to the US sanctions and the ICC statement. [ 7 ]