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Former Nelson Mandela Lawyer, Navi Pillay Awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize
South African jurist Navanethem "Navi" Pillay has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, with the Norwegian Nobel Committee citing her decades-long contribution to prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on Friday in Oslo, marking the 125th edition of the prize. The committee received nominations from 287 candidates this year.
Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes said international law is under "tremendous pressure" and that its institutions are "under attack", describing judges as those who guard the line between order and chaos.
Pillay, 85, is of South African and Indian Tamil heritage. Her legal career has included acting as a defence attorney for Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists, serving on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the International Criminal Court, and as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
She currently sits on the International Court of Justice in the case in which Myanmar stands accused of genocide.
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