Pillay, 85, dedicated award to "all survivors of international crimes"
The Nobel Peace Prize was announced in Oslo on the 9th and was awarded to South Africa's current International Court of Justice (ICJ) judge and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem "Navi" Pillay in recognition of her efforts in promoting peace and international law. Pillay said he dedicated the award to "all survivors of international criminal crimes."
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Friednes, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, praised Pillay for his extraordinary courage and integrity in leading the way to a more comprehensive global legal order and "playing a key role in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted."
Last year, it was determined that Israel committed genocide and asked China to reveal the truth about June 4th.
Pillay, 85, is a former chairman of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Last year, he served as chairman of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which issued a report concluding that Israel's military operations in Gaza committed genocide. She currently serves as an ICJ judge on Myanmar's alleged genocide case. Before resigning as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2014, he asked China to disclose the truth about the Tiananmen Incident. He also expressed support for the late Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo and expressed concern for Tibetans who self-immolated.
The Nobel Committee's rationale for the award did not mention U.S. President Trump or Israel, but emphasized the importance of maintaining an organized international order. The eulogy pointed out that the current international society is shifting from the rule of law to power politics, and the legal structure and global respect for law and justice are being eroded; when power trumps justice, international stability, mutual trust and peaceful coexistence will be undermined. "Peace requires justice", "This is the characteristic that Pillai has demonstrated in his judicial work."
It is generally believed that Pillay's awarding of the crown reflects the current difficulties faced by international judicial institutions. The International Criminal Court (ICC) received strong criticism and threats of sanctions from Trump after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year. In addition to calling on countries to withdraw from the ICC last month, Trump also imposed targeted sanctions on a number of prosecutors and judges.
After Pillai learned of the award on the 9th, he happened to attend a meeting at the Palace of Justice, the Nuremberg judicial building where Nazi Germany's leaders were tried. She issued a statement, saying that "perhaps this was planned" and that "we are going through an era when international law and human rights are under significant political attack." She will dedicate this award "to all survivors of international crimes and defenders of international justice." When Pillai accepted the congratulations, he jokingly said, "If you applaud more, maybe I will share this award with Trump."
Israel's Foreign Ministry slams legitimizing 'anti-Israel hatred'
The United Nations said Pillay's award "proves that the global need for and value of human rights is greater than ever". Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court, said the awarding of the Peace Prize to Pillay was "particularly important" given the current attacks on international law.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the awarding of the Peace Prize to Pillay as legitimizing "anti-Israel hatred" and that Nazi Germany's Propaganda Minister Goebbels "must be applauding in hell."
Pillay is the fifth South African to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The first four include former South African presidents Mandela and de Klerk, Archbishop Tutu and Luthuli. Their awards are all related to the fight against apartheid.
