OSLO: Judge and former UN rights chief Navi Pillay of South Africa, winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, on Saturday called recently announced US sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) “unheard of, unacceptable.”

“There is so much tension and anxiety over the continued existence of international courts, mainly the International Criminal Court in The Hague... most importantly, sanctions have been announced by one country against the judges, just for the judicial orders they issue. This is unheard of, unacceptable,” Pillay said via video link from Nuremberg during an event at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo.