The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to former International Criminal Court (ICC) judge Navanethem "Navi" Pillay for his efforts to promote peace and international law.
In the statement made by the Prize Committee, it was said: "The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to a person who has pioneered the path to a more comprehensive global legal order with extraordinary courage and honesty. This year's award winner, Navi Pillay, has played a key role in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are brought to justice."
On the other hand, US President Donald Trump, who has reiterated that he has especially wanted to receive the award for the last two years, said in his statement the other day, "I don't know what their decision will be. It is known that they are not inclined to give this award to people like me. Whether I receive the award or not, I have achieved a lot, and I think this (not giving the award) would be a great loss of reputation for them."
Claiming that he has helped end 8 wars so far, Trump noted that although former US President Barack Obama was given the Nobel Peace Prize "for doing nothing", he was not given this award.
Reminding that Maria Machado, who received the Nobel Peace Prize last year, presented this award to him, Trump said, "Last time, they gave the award to a young lady, who is a wonderful person, and she said that I really deserved it and gave the award to me."
The winner of the last award in the series, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, will be announced to the public on October 12.
This year, the prize money for the Nobel Prizes was set at 12 million Swedish crowns, regardless of whether the prize was awarded to a single person, a group or an organisation. This amount corresponds to approximately 1.09 million euros.
The awards will be presented to their winners at a ceremony to be held on December 10, one of the most important dates in the Nobel tradition. The date of the ceremony coincides with the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prizes, Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite. Nobel died in 1896.
Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, born in South Africa in 1941, is a South African lawyer who has undertaken important duties in the field of international human rights law. Pillay, who defended the rights of political prisoners during the apartheid regime, fought against human rights violations by taking part in international judicial institutions.
Pillay, who studied law at Harvard University, served as a judge and president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He was among the first judges of the International Criminal Court. He served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights between 2008 and 2014.
In July 2021, he was appointed chairman of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, East Jerusalem and Israel, established within the UN Human Rights Council.
The commission, chaired by Pillay, investigated Israel's attacks in Gaza and allegations of violations of international law. The prepared reports revealed findings regarding actions such as attacks against civilians, the use of starvation as a method of war, forced displacement and targeting of healthcare infrastructure.
In its report published on September 16, 2025, the Commission announced that it concluded that Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Pillay called for the implementation of international law and for those responsible to be held accountable.
Facing Israeli accusations of bias, Pillay defended the commission's independence. Pillay, who submitted his resignation due to age and health problems in July 2025, ended his term on November 3, 2025.
