Key facts
- Navanethem Pillay and John Dugard were awarded the 2026 Olof Palme Prize.
- The prize recognizes their outstanding contribution to the defense of fundamental human rights.
- Pillay and Dugard have systematically collected evidence of crimes against humanity.
- Pillay has a background as a lawyer during apartheid, a Supreme Court member in South Africa, a judge and president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, a judge of the International Criminal Court, and UN High Commissioner for
- Dugard has a lifelong commitment to international law, including work against apartheid in South Africa and as UN Rapporteur on human rights in Palestine.
- Both Dugard and Pillay are serving as ad hoc judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).