The International Criminal Court and its officials have been named the winners of the European Parliament’s 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
The decision was announced in the Parliament chamber by President Roberta Metsola, who said the award recognised the court’s work “in upholding international law and justice," the parliamentary press service reported on Thursday.
The International Criminal Court — known as the ICC — investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
Based in The Hague, the ICC is a permanent international court created under a treaty called the Rome Statute.
Concerns over sanctions and protection measures
MEPs have raised concerns about “various waves of sanctions” imposed on the ICC since 2025, including by the United States, as well as on its prosecutors, judges, staff and partners, the European Parliament said.
MEPs have repeatedly called on the European Commission to activate the EU’s “blocking statute” to protect officials working at the ICC from extraterritorial measures — steps taken outside a country’s borders — and to enable the court to continue its activities “in complete independence.”
All EU member states are parties to the Rome Statute and are obliged to implement ICC decisions.
The Sakharov Prize, established in 1988 and named after Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, is awarded annually by the European Parliament to individuals or organisations for work including the defence of human rights and respect for international law.
The award ceremony is due to take place in December in Strasbourg during a plenary session.
