International Criminal Court wins EU's 2026 Sakharov prize : GS TIMES IAS-PCS

Why in News?

On October 22, 2026, the European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its officials, recognising their role in upholding international justice and human rights.

About the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

Instituted by: European Parliament in 1988.
First recipients: Nelson Mandela and Anatoli Marchenko.
Purpose: To honour individuals, groups and organisations making outstanding contributions to protecting human rights and freedom of thought.
Award amount: €50,000.
Presentation: At a formal plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, generally towards the end of the year.
Significance: The prize supports and recognises individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

About the International Criminal Court (ICC)

Nature: The world’s first permanent international criminal court.
Governing treaty: Rome Statute.
Rome Statute adopted: July 1998.
Court began functioning: 2003.
Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands.
Mandate: To investigate and, where warranted, prosecute individuals accused of the gravest crimes of concern to the international community.

Crimes under the ICC’s jurisdiction

Genocide: Acts committed with the intent to destroy, wholly or partly, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
Crimes against humanity: Widespread or systematic attacks directed against civilian populations.
War crimes: Serious violations of international humanitarian law during armed conflict.
Crime of aggression: The planning, preparation, initiation or execution of an act of aggression by a person able to exercise control over or direct a state’s political or military action.

Jurisdiction of the ICC

The ICC may exercise jurisdiction over relevant crimes committed on or after 1 July 2002, subject to the Rome Statute’s conditions.

Its jurisdiction may arise when:

The alleged crime was committed on the territory of a State Party.
The accused is a national of a State Party.
A state that is not a party accepts the Court’s jurisdiction in the relevant circumstances.
The United Nations Security Council refers a situation to the ICC Prosecutor under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.

Relationship Between the ICC and the United Nations