Navi Pillay, an 85-year-old judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, made a witty remark referencing President Donald Trump while expressing her gratitude for the award.
On October 9, during an event in Nuremberg, Germany, Pillay learned of her selection for the prestigious award. In a video shared by Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, she joked, "If you all clap more, I might have to share this award with Trump." This comment was seen as a subtle jab at Trump, who has publicly claimed he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pillay expressed her appreciation for the congratulations from her peers, stating, "If the public does not recognize that I deserve this award, I would not want it." She added, "It feels particularly appropriate to receive this news while with friends and colleagues who support human rights."
Until recently, Pillay served as the chair of the International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, established by the UN Human Rights Council. She noted, "The last thing I did was write a report that classified the events in Gaza as genocide."
Pillay remarked that the most common feedback she received after the report was that she showed courage. She questioned, "Why is courage needed to speak the truth? One should simply interpret the law and examine the facts to make a fair judgment."
Having turned 85 last month, Pillay responded to questions about her retirement plans by saying, "I cannot stop working to help achieve new accomplishments." She also expressed disbelief at her sudden recognition, saying, "I hope this is not a joke."
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Pillay as this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner at a ceremony in Oslo. The committee recognized her contributions to promoting peace and international law, as well as her efforts to hold perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide accountable.
A human rights lawyer from South Africa, Pillay defended anti-apartheid activists, including former President Nelson Mandela, during the apartheid era. She later served as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court (ICC), and was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014.
With Pillay's award, the Nobel Peace Prize has gone to a woman for the second consecutive year, following Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado last year. President Trump, who had publicly anticipated receiving the award, was not selected again this year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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