Human rights expert Philippe Sands wins German Peace Prize
From advocating for the law of ecocide to representing Palestinian rights, the descendant of Holocaust survivors tirelessly fights against genocide and crimes against humanity. The
From advocating for the law of ecocide to representing Palestinian rights, the descendant of Holocaust survivors tirelessly fights against genocide and crimes against humanity. The 2026 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, a prestigious award that honors individuals who contribute to the realization of peace through their work, goes to French-British lawyer and author Philippe Sands, the prize's board of trustees announced on Thursday. "In his literary work, which is distinguished both by narrative brilliance and historical depth, Philippe Sands devotes as much attention to the motives of the perpetrators as to the suffering and lives of the victims," the jury noted in its statement. "At the heart of his legal work is a commitment to the universal rights of every human being, evidenced in his advocacy for victims of war crimes, racism, torture and colonial injustice." More than a chronicler of crimes and violations of international law, Sands is also a prominent figure in the campaign advocating for the recognition of ecocide as an international crime. A family history leading to a life devoted to justice Born on 17 October 1960 in London, Sands completed his law studies at the University of Cambridge in 1983. He soon established himself as a highly sought-after expert in international law.
As the descendant of Holocaust survivors, he has drawn on his own family history to trace the emergence of the body of law that led to the legal concepts of genocide and crimes against humanity. His 2016 historical memoir, "East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity," examines the lives of the two Jewish lawyers who established these concepts in the aftermath of World War II. It has been translated into more than 30 languages. 'East West Street' portrays the two lawyers who fought to have 'genocide' and 'crimes against humanity' recognized as legal concepts Image: Philippe Sands In more than two dozen cases to date, Sands has appeared as counsel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. He has represented at the ICJ the Solomon Islands in proceedings concerning the threat and use of nuclear weapons; Georgia in its dispute with Russia over the South Ossetia conflict; and Croatia in its genocide claim against Serbia. During the 2024 ICJ public hearings regarding the legal consequences of Israel's policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, he argued for Palestinian statehood and the inherent right to self-determination. He is currently acting for The Gambia, in its ICJ case against Myanmar, which is charged of having committed genocide against the Rohingya Muslims.
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