Hours after the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to South African jurist Navanethem Pillay, US President Donald Trump publicly questioned the committee’s choice, using the phrase ’no one ever heard of her’ to criticise international institutions. The award recognises Pillay’s decades of work in international criminal justice and human rights.
The US government imposed a new round of sanctions on the International Criminal Court just hours after the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize laureate was announced. The prize went to former ICC judge Navanethem Pillay, drawing international attention to US relations with international judicial institutions.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to South African jurist Navanethem Pillay. The citation emphasizes her work in international criminal justice, human rights protection and the rule of law. Pillay helped build early international criminal tribunals and has long spoken on international law and political accountability, making her one of the most influential African voices in the field.