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The European Parliament on Thursday awarded the International Criminal Court (ICC) the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, signalling opposition to US sanctions threatening the court’s work.
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The annual prize recognises individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. Past laureates include South African leader Nelson Mandela and Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.
US President Donald Trump’s administration announced sanctions against the ICC on 9 October, following repeated criticism of its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its investigation into the conduct of US troops in Afghanistan.
“This is a message of hope and resistance sent to Donald Trump. We will not abandon the rule of law and international justice. We will stand with the ICC for as long as it takes,” said French MEP Chloé Ridel, who nominated the court.
Parliament’s political group leaders chose the ICC over two other shortlisted candidates: Tanzanian lawyer Tundu Lissu, who faces political persecution, and Iranian sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, nominated on behalf of those persecuted by Iran’s authorities.
The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group put forward the ICC and its officials, with other political groups eventually backing the nomination. The decision surprised some insiders, who had expected Lissu to win.
According to sources present at the meeting, the far-right Patriots for Europe (PfE) group played an instrumental role in determining the final outcome.
Initially, the European People’s Party (EPP) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) supported their candidate, Lissu.
Meanwhile, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) had the backing of Renew Europe, the Greens/EFA and The Left in support of the ICC. PfE co-leader Kinga Gál, however, continued to advocate for Taraneh and Romina Rahimi.
These competing positions resulted in a deadlock, with neither candidate securing the majority required to win. Under Parliament’s rules, the impasse would have led to a runoff between the two candidates with the strongest support: Tundu Lissu and the ICC.
Gál ultimately prevented this outcome by abstaining, allowing the ICC’s supporters to secure a relative majority.
Last week, MEPs from across the political spectrum urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to protect the Netherlands-based court from US sanctions.
They called for the use of “all instruments at our disposal”, particularly the EU’s Blocking Statute, which shields European companies and individuals from the effects of certain foreign sanctions.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the threat of sanctions against the ICC as “not acceptable” on 9 October, reaffirming the bloc’s commitment to international law. The EU has yet to take concrete action.
