2026 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to South African jurist Navi Pillay

The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize is being awarded to South African jurist Navi Pillay.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee made the announcement in Oslo on Friday.

According to the committee, she is being honored for her contribution to the fight against apartheid and the promotion of peace and international law. The committee said her role in bringing those guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide within the ambit of law has been significant.

Born to an Indian Tamil-origin family in Durban, Pillay argued in defense of Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid leaders early in her legal career. She later became a judge at South Africa's High Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the International Criminal Court.

She has also served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Most recently, she chaired a UN commission of inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory.

US President Donald Trump had publicly been laying claim to the prize.