Nobel peace laureate Pillay: US should become rights defender once more

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Nobel laureate and ICJ judge Navi Pillay criticized the U.S. for imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court amid its arrest warrants for Israeli officials. She urged the U.S. to resume its traditional role as a global human rights defender to uphold international justice.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Navi Pillay called on the United States to once again assume its traditional role as a global defender of human rights and freedom, amid Washington’s intensified opposition to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Speaking Tuesday in The Hague, where she serves as a judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Pillay criticized recent U.S. sanctions targeting the ICC as an unprecedented attack on an institution established by international treaty.

Pillay, 85, received the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, the same day the U.S. announced broad sanctions against the ICC, including a six-month grace period and exemptions covering telecommunications, software, pension payments, and detainee-related transactions. The sanctions were widely interpreted as retaliation for the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

“The timing [of the sanctions] could not be coincidental,” Pillay said, describing the U.S. move as regrettable yet consistent with earlier efforts to undermine the ICC. She affirmed her support for the ICC’s staff, emphasizing solidarity after returning from Nuremberg to The Hague.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the ICC as a "rogue court" on Friday, asserting that the United States would not allow the tribunal to prosecute American citizens. Washington’s longstanding opposition largely centers on the ICC’s jurisdiction clause, which permits the court to investigate nationals of non-member states if crimes occur in the territory of member states.

Under President Donald Trump’s administration, opposition to the ICC intensified, particularly following the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli officials. In recent months, the U.S. government has escalated efforts to impede the court’s activities, viewing its jurisdictional claims as overreach.

Pillay urged the United States to reconsider its approach and restore its leadership role in supporting international justice and human rights protections worldwide.

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