Navi Pillay, a South African jurist of Indian origin, has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law. The announcement came as she was in Nuremberg, a symbolic location given her career's focus on international justice. Pillay dedicated the prize to survivors and those working for justice, warning against political attacks on international law and institutions like the ICC. Her extensive career includes roles in the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the International Criminal Court, and as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
South African jurist Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay, of Indian origin, has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her lifelong dedication to advancing human rights, peace, and international law, including her significant contributions to shaping international law on genocide and sexual violence.
United Nations' top human rights official has voiced serious concern over the deteriorating condition of some 250,000 civilians trapped in the war-torn northern Sri Lanka and increasing casualties, displacement and alleged human rights abuses. "The perilous situation of civilians after many months of fighting, multiple displacements, heavy rains and flooding is extremely worrying," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said.
The UN human rights office has called on Colombo to allow a full independent inquiry into a controversial video tape depicting alleged "extra-judicial killings" of Tamils by Lankan troops and said that such an investigation would be in the country's "best interests".
"We urge the High Commissioner to go to Oslo, attend the award ceremony, and convene a press conference that will spotlight the plight of the 1.3 billion Chinese citizens who are systematically denied the basic guarantees of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," they said in a statement.
United Nations Human Rights chief on Tuesday said she has information that that security forces in southern Kyrgyzstan are using torture against young Uzbek men, who are also being subjected to beatings, arbitrary detentions and forced confessions.
Brushing aside opposition from the Dravida Munetra Kazhagam and other parties in Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa but did not give him any assurance on which way India will vote on a the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution for an independent international probe into rights abuses during the war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
In a significant development, India for the first time on Thursday abstained from voting on the United States-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka on alleged human rights violation which was passed by 23 votes in favour as against 12 in opposition and 12 abstentions in the United Nation's Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Israeli troops backed by tanks and drones on Thursday continued to pound Gaza in its operation against Hamas, defying mounting calls for restraint and a United Nations vote to investigate the deadly offensive that has killed 720 Palestinians and 34 Israelis.
