Navi Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

OSLO – The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, 85, for her efforts to promote peace and international law. She becomes the fifth South African to win the prize. Pillay learned of the award while attending a legal conference in Nuremberg.

A career of accountability

Pillay was born in Durban in 1940 to parents of Tamil descent. She defended Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists and became the first woman of colour on South Africa's High Court. She later served as a judge at the International Criminal Court and the Rwanda tribunal, and as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The committee said a single thread links her early work against apartheid to her role in landmark international cases.

Gaza inquiry and reaction

Pillay chaired the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which concluded last year that Israel committed genocide in Gaza; Israel dismissed the report as scandalous. She said she would dedicate the award to survivors of international crimes. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called it a tribute to everyone defending international law and human rights.

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Trump criticism and next steps

Hours later, US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that the committee had demeaned the prize, while the White House imposed new sanctions on the ICC. The committee considered 287 nominees. The prize, worth 12 million Swedish crowns, about $1.2 million, will be presented in Oslo on December 10. Last year's winner was Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.