Navi Pillay, the 85‑year‑old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has criticised the United States for imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). She called the measures ‘unheard of’ and ‘unacceptable’, citing the threat they pose to international justice and human rights.
The sanctions, introduced last week by the Trump administration, cut off U.S. companies from providing financial services to the court and its officials. The travel‑stopshift goes beyond individual judges to target the institution itself, effectively choking its ability to operate.
Speaking via video link from Oslo, Pillay said the move was an assault on the rule of law and the foundations of the global legal order. She warned that the sanctions could erode decades of progress in holding war criminals accountable.
Trump has denied the prize and quickly moved to punish what he calls a “rogue” judiciary, accusing the ICC of seeking to prosecute Americans. The administration claims the court threatens U.S. sovereignty and has already sanctioned 17 ICC personnel.
The United Nations, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and several other nations have expressed regret and disagreement with the sanctions, describing them as a blow to the pursuit of international criminal justice.
Pillay’s career has been marked by dedication to human rights. After defending anti‑apartheid activists in South Africa, she served as a UN human‑rights chief and examined allegations in Rwanda, Myanmar and Gaza before winning the peace prize.
The sanctions risk undermining the established framework that keeps global leaders accountable, and they have sparked an international debate over the limits of national power in the face of transnational justice.
