The International Criminal Court was awarded a major European human rights prize on Thursday, a show of support for the global body amid the Trump administration’s efforts to thwart its work.
The European Parliament called the court a “crucial actor in the global fight to end impunity” in its statement awarding the Sakharov Prize.
“The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this prize recognizes the important work of the court in upholding international law and justice,” Roberta Metsola, the parliament’s president, said.
E.U. lawmakers in Strasbourg, where the prize was announced, greeted the win with a standing ovation.
The Trump administration has in recent years taken steps to dismantle the court, accusing it of violating American sovereignty and of unfairly targeting U.S. allies, particularly Israel.
Early in his second term, Mr. Trump issued an executive order directing agencies to come up with sanctions to impose on the court, saying the I.C.C. undermined the “national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel.”
The administration this month said it was imposing financial sanctions on the court, which could constrain its ability to carry out its operations.
The European Parliament did not shy away from the politics in its statement on Thursday, which noted that lawmakers had in 2025 “expressed their deep concern at the growing threats and the various waves of sanctions” imposed on the court, “notably by the U.S.A.”
The court, which was established in 2002 and is based at The Hague in the Netherlands, investigates and prosecutes genocide, war crimes and other serious offenses.
On Thursday, the I.C.C. called the prize “an important recognition of the role of international justice as a cornerstone of lasting peace.”
Named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, the prize honors individuals or groups who defend human rights and basic freedoms. An award ceremony will take place in December in Strasbourg, France.
Of nearly 200 nations in the world, 125 have signed the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and are subject to its rulings. The United States never ratified the treaty establishing the institution, and both it and Israel are among those that are not bound by the statute.
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