The International Criminal Court (ICC) has won this year's Sakharov Prize, awarded by the European Union to individuals and organizations in recognition of their work to support and protect human rights and democracy.

"This prize recognizes the important work of the court in upholding international law and justice," said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who announced the winner at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

She said the EU was similarly "built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions."

In naming the ICC as the prize winner, Metsola also took time to recognize the two other finalists: Tanzanian jailed lawyer and human rights defender Tundu Lissu and the imprisoned Iranian twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi.

"This award comes at a time when the Court and its officials face unprecedented challenges, including sanctions aimed at disrupting the Court's judicial mandate," ICC president and top judge Tomoko Akane said.

The prize ceremony will take place in December.

What is the International Criminal Court?

Set up in 2002 in the Hague, the ICC is responsible for prosecuting the most serious of crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The ICC has recently come under sanctions from the US government under President Donald Trump in response to what Washington called political bias. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

The US said it wants to "dismantle" the court.

The awarding of the Sakharov Prize is a further show of support after former ICC judge Navi Pillay was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

What is the Sakharov Prize?

The prize, awarded every year by the European Parliament, was set up in 1988 to honor those who defend human rights and basic freedoms.

It is named after Soviet dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov.

Previous winners include Nelson Mandela (1988), Aung San Suu Kyi (1990), Mahsa Jina Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran (2023) and Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist from Belarus, and Mzia Amaglobeli, a journalist from Georgia (2025).

Edited by: Zac Crellin

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