Navi Pillay named winner of 2026 Nobel peace prize for efforts to advertise overseas regulation – reside | Nobel peace prize
Pillay ‘instrumental in making certain battle crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity and genocide are prosecuted,’ Nobel committee chair says
Presenting the winner, Jørgen Watne Frydnes says:
“The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 goes to an individual who, with distinctive braveness and integrity, has led the way in which in direction of a extra complete world authorized order. This 12 months’s laureate has been instrumental in making certain that battle crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity and genocide are prosecuted.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has determined to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 to Navanethem “Navi“ Pillay for her efforts to advertise peace and overseas regulation.
Navi Pillay’s dedication to common authorized rules and her agency ethical compass are constants in an extended profession. Born right into a household of Indian Tamil origin beneath apartheid in Durban, South Africa, Pillay turned a lawyer and authorized pioneer, confronting deep structural discrimination, segregation and exclusion.
A typical thread runs from her early work defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up in opposition to apartheid to her service as a choose in a few of the key overseas courtroom instances of our time.”
Key occasions
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South African legal experts pay tribute to Pillay on her Nobel win
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‘To say it is well deserved is a total understatement,’ UN human rights chief says
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‘Richly earned and lavishly justified,’ retired South African constitutional court justice says
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‘Why would you need courage to speak the truth?,’ surprised Pillay says in impromptu speech to associates
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‘If you clap a little bit more I may share this prize with Trump,’ Pillay jokes
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‘Few have devoted their lives to justice, peace and human dignity’ like Pillay, von der Leyen says
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‘Amazing news,’ UN human rights office reacts to Pillay’s win
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Prize ‘a message to those who are attacking, undermining international system and its institutions,’ Nobel chair says
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‘If you see a Norwegian number calling, please pick up,’ Nobel committee chair tells peace prize winner
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Nobel committee’s decision backing for system of international law ‘under tremendous pressure’
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‘Legal measures can help prevent acts of war and violence,’ Nobel committee says
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Pillay ‘instrumental in ensuring war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted,’ Nobel committee chair says
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South African jurist Navanethem “Navi“ Pillay wins the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
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2026 Nobel Peace Prize announcement – watch live
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Morning opening: Who will win the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize?
South African authorized specialists pay tribute to Pillay on her Nobel win
Rachel Savage
Southern African correspondent
Dire Tladi, a South African choose serving on the International Court of Justice, the place each he and Pillay are judges on the case introduced by Gambia accusing Myanmar of genocide in opposition to the Rohingya minority, mentioned:
“I’m extraordinarily happy for Navi and really pleased with her. This is totally properly deserved for a lifetime devoted to creating the globe a greater place.
As a South African at present serving with Navi in Gambia v Myanmar the place she serves as advert hoc choose, I really feel significantly privileged and proud.”
Yasmin Sooka, a human rights lawyer and commissioner on each South Africa and Sierra Leone’s Truth & Reconciliation Commissions, mentioned:
“I congratulate our beloved Navi Pillay on her well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize. She follows within the footsteps of Chief Albert Luthuli and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, carrying ahead South Africa’s proud custom of linking peace with justice and human dignity.
From defending apartheid’s most susceptible to her pioneering position within the Akayesu judgment, she has remodeled overseas justice. That judgment helped set up rape and sexual violence as weapons of battle—a historic breakthrough that positioned survivors’ experiences on the coronary heart of overseas justice.
At the ICC, as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and main the inquiry that discovered Israel liable for genocide in Gaza, she has introduced unwavering integrity and braveness to holding energy accountable.
For these of us who’ve benefited from her management and dedication to human rights, democracy, and the rule of regulation, she has been a beneficiant mentor and trusted adviser. I can’t consider anybody extra deserving of this extraordinary honour.”
‘To say it’s properly deserved is a complete understatement,’ UN human rights chief says
UN human rights chief Volker Türk joins in congratulations for Pillay on the award.
He says “in the event you stroll about this constructing, there may be emotion, there may be happiness, there’s a nice pleasure that one in every of ours has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.”
He says:
“To say it’s properly deserved is a complete understatement, and particularly at a time when human rights are beneath assault on so many fronts, together with from those that wields monumental energy.
This award is especially poignant. It is an award to all those that across the globe, dedicate their lives to the defence of human rights, usually at nice danger to their safety.”
Türk says it’s “a recognition, a reaffirmation that human rights, the rule of regulation and justice and accountability are basic to all the pieces – to peace, and safety, and prosperity.”
He says the award for her is nice “not solely [because of] what she embodies, but additionally of her as an individual, as a really heat individual, as somebody who has touched most of the lives of my colleagues.”
In the Q&A, he says:
“The indisputable fact that the Nobel award committee determined to present this to Navi Pillay is a collective win for human rights, but additionally for the for looking for justice and accountability on this globe.
And it’s clear that we’d like the overseas legal accountability mechanisms, together with the International Criminal Court.
And it’s clear that it is a very sturdy sign that that is completely essential in at this time’s globe. And we see so many violations happen in every single place.”
‘Richly earned and lavishly justified,’ retired South African constitutional courtroom justice says
Rachel Savage
Southern Africa correspondent
Edwin Cameron, a retired South African constitutional courtroom justice, who can be recognized for his activism for LGBTQ+ rights and other people residing with HIV/Aids:
“The award is richly earned and lavishly justified.
It comes at a painful time in our nationwide life. As elsewhere, we’ve got been wrecked by anguish about cross-border migration. This has led to hate-filled anti-migrant xenophobic actions distributing poisonous untruths about cross-border migration. The result’s that households, moms, infants, merchants, employees, have been terrorised, and lots of pressured to flee.
The award of the Prize to Navi Pillay re-emphasises that the Prize embodies an overseas aspiration to peace, and to respect and understanding throughout borders – and that leaders of nice stature in our nation (Tutu, Mandela, now Pillay) are recognised outdoors it, on the overseas stage.
This could assist reset our nationwide debate on South Africa’s place within the area, and in Africa.”
‘Why would you want braveness to talk the reality?,’ stunned Pillay says in impromptu speech to associates
Looking visibly amused by the choice in the video, Pillay repeatedly asks if that’s even true, as she says somebody referred to as her up and he or she thought it was a joke.
(She will get reassured that it’s on the BBC, so it have to be true.)
“Your applause means victory, actually. You don’t wish to obtain an award, prize or something until the general public agrees that you simply deserve this. So that. That’s how I admire your applause at this time.”
“But being a lawyer and a choose I nonetheless wish to confirm,” she laughs.
She says it’s “very applicable” that she is along with her “good associates, all of whom assist human rights,” as she references her final massive factor, the supply of the UN inquiry report on Gaza, which referred to as it an ongoing genocide.
She explains:
“One of the principle reactions to that … was paying tribute to me for my braveness.
And you may think about how stunned I used to be. Why would you want braveness to talk the reality? You interpret the regulation, you have a look at all of the info, so it’s an neutral resolution making.”
She continued:
“So proper now, I’m nonetheless concerned as advert hoc choose within the case introduced by the Gambia in opposition to Myanmar. So everyone says once you going to cease, when are you going to cease? I simply turned 85 simply final month. I can’t clearly cease my work in assist of the Nuremberg Principles, due to the folks we meet right here.”
She ends laughing: “You know, I hope this isn’t a joke!”
‘If you clap a bit bit extra I could share this prize with Trump,’ Pillay jokes
In a hilarious video posted by Amnesty International’s secretary general Agnes Callamar and showing the moment Pillay found out about the award, her associates applaud her as she walks into the room in disbelief, earlier than joking:
If you clap a bit bit extra I could share this prize with Trump.
Ouch.
This will sting.
‘Few have devoted their lives to justice, peace and human dignity’ like Pillay, von der Leyen says
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen mentioned “few have devoted their lives to justice, peace, and human dignity” like Navi Pillay, as she congratulated her on the win.
von der Leyen mentioned:
“Congratulations to lawyer and human rights activist Navanethem “Navi” Pillay on her Nobel Peace Prize.
Few have devoted their lives to justice, peace and human dignity like she did.
From the violence of apartheid in South Africa to the horrors of the Rwandan genocide, she has confronted a few of humanity’s darkest chapters.
She has regarded the brutality of injustice within the eye and by no means regarded away. She is the defender of the persecuted, the susceptible, the unvoiced and the excluded. Of the rule of regulation over the proper of would possibly.
In a globe that wants justice greater than ever, her braveness and ethical readability are a valuable compass.”
‘Amazing information,’ UN human rights workplace reacts to Pillay’s win
The United Nations human rights workplace welcomed the information of Navi Pillay’s Nobel Peace Prize win, acknowledging her longstanding advocacy for human rights, as reported by Reuters.
“It is wonderful information, we’d like extra dedication and dedication to human rights,” Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for the UN human rights workplace, informed reporters in Geneva.
“We hope it’s going to encourage and proceed to encourage and encourage others to talk out in safety and promotion of the human rights of all folks across the globe,” Mantoo mentioned in response to Pillay’s win.
And that ends the presentation.
Anyone’s bought Pillay’s telephone quantity? Asking for a Norwegian buddy.
Prize ‘a message to those that are attacking, undermining overseas system and its establishments,’ Nobel chair says
Jørgen Watne Frydnes will get repeatedly requested why the award was given to an individual, and never an overseas courtroom or different broader physique.
He repeatedly says Pilay has been “on the forefront of the event of overseas regulation for many years, up till this present day,” and is the proper recipient.
“This is a message that overseas regulation and its establishments are the cornerstone of a extra peaceable globe. So after all, we hope that this prize additionally will strengthen the establishments, the people, not solely Navi Pillay, however significantly her.”
He says she is “probably the most brave and essential authorized specialists of our time.”
He will get pushed on whether or not the award sends a message to those that query or sanction overseas courts, together with the International Court of Justice.
It’s could sound harmless, however it’s a really particular query because the overseas courtroom of justice has confronted direct strain and sanction threats from the US, amongst others.
Jørgen Watne Frydnes doesn’t miss a beat when he solutions:
“This is unquestionably a message to those that are attacking, undermin[ing] the overseas system, the overseas rules-based system and the establishments.
Absolutely.”
‘If you see a Norwegian quantity calling, please decide up,’ Nobel committee chair tells peace prize winner
Nobel committee’s Jørgen Watne Frydnes now solutions some questions.
Amazingly, he says the committee has not been in a position to attain Pillay.
He says:
“If you see a Norwegian quantity calling, please decide up. I’d love to speak to you very quickly.”
And that’s the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Navi Pillay:
Nobel committee’s resolution backing for system of overseas regulation ‘beneath large strain’
Explaining the choice, Nobel committee’s Jørgen Watne Frydnes says “the system of overseas regulation is beneath large strain, and its establishments are beneath assault.”
“We see a shift in direction of energy politics on the expense of authorized frameworks and world respects for regulation and justice. Whenever would possibly overtakes proper, it undermines stability, belief and peaceable coexistence.
In awarding this 12 months’s Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee needs to remind the globe that the rule of regulation, nationwide and overseas, underpins the system we’ve got arrange to make sure peace and resolve conflicts non-violently.
Peace requires justice.
History has proven {that a} globe working with out the rule of regulation is unjust, unwise and inhumane. The judges, those that guard the skinny purple line between order and chaos, are due to this fact extremely deserving of our reward.
But at this time, as these similar judges are sanctioned and their establishments are beneath assault, we’d like folks of braveness, imaginative and prescient and dedication – qualities that Navi Pillay demonstrates in her work on the bench.
He continues by saying:
“Navi Pillay has held states and nationwide leaders accountable and introduced hope to the victims of violence and clash.
In all of the positions she has held, she has harassed the accountability of people and states to adjust to the rule of regulation. She has additionally helped outline the related norms and authorized rules when the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda established that rape and sexual violence may represent a criminal offense in opposition to humanity in addition to genocide.
Her affect was a major issue. In the identical case, Miss Pillay was instrumental in a separate authorized breakthrough. For the primary time, a defendant confronted prices of incitement to commit genocide purely on the premise of spreading propaganda.”
He wraps up:
“The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 springs immediately from Alfred Nobel’s will. Navi Pillay strengthens fraternity between nations and by systematically advancing using tribunals for peace and justice, she gives substance, course and motivation for peace conferences of their fashionable kind.
Navi Pillay is likely one of the nice defenders of overseas authorized rules in our time.
Her distinguished profession reminds us of the necessity to assist, fortify and broaden the worldwide rule of regulation. Navi Pillay’s dedication to justice and human dignity is a supply of hope and inspiration to all those that search to deliver a couple of extra peaceable globe.”
‘Legal measures will help stop acts of battle and violence,’ Nobel committee says
He continues:
“This 12 months’s laureate has considerably enlarged the scope and influence of overseas regulation.
She has served as a choose on the High Court in South Africa, the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda and the International Criminal Court. She was the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and till not too long ago she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Today, Navi Pillay is a choose on the International Court of Justice within the case the place Myanmar stands accused of genocide.
In historic overseas courtroom instances, she has proven that authorized measures will help stop acts of battle and violence.
Navi Pillay has additionally contributed to strengthen the establishments of overseas regulation. Her independence, her experience and steadfastness have made her probably the most revered overseas jurists of our time.”
Pillay ‘instrumental in making certain battle crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity and genocide are prosecuted,’ Nobel committee chair says
Presenting the winner, Jørgen Watne Frydnes says:
“The Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 goes to an individual who, with distinctive braveness and integrity, has led the way in which in direction of a extra complete world authorized order. This 12 months’s laureate has been instrumental in making certain that battle crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity and genocide are prosecuted.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has determined to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 to Navanethem “Navi“ Pillay for her efforts to advertise peace and overseas regulation.
Navi Pillay’s dedication to common authorized rules and her agency ethical compass are constants in an extended profession. Born right into a household of Indian Tamil origin beneath apartheid in Durban, South Africa, Pillay turned a lawyer and authorized pioneer, confronting deep structural discrimination, segregation and exclusion.
A typical thread runs from her early work defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up in opposition to apartheid to her service as a choose in a few of the key overseas courtroom instances of our time.”
South African jurist Navanethem “Navi“ Pillay wins the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Ooh.
That’s a shock.
The ceremony will get beneath method.
And it appears to be like prefer it received’t be any of the plain favourites.
