Nobel Committee says it was unable to reach Peace Prize laureate Navi Pillay

Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes publicly asked the rights advocate to answer a call from a Norwegian number. The Associated Press and The Guardian reported that the committee had not reached her before announcing the laureate.

On Friday, October 9, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize to Navi Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law. Soon after the announcement, committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said the organization had been unable to reach the laureate by phone. The Associated Press also reported that Pillay had not received the committee’s call by the time the winner was announced.

Frydnes addressed her publicly, asking her to answer a call from a Norwegian number and saying he hoped to speak with her soon. Pillay is a South African jurist, a former United Nations high commissioner for human rights and a former president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

In 2025, the Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. In January 2026, she gave her medal to US President Donald Trump. Reuters reported that the Norwegian Nobel Committee later clarified that the medal could be given away, but the laureate title remained Machado’s.

In its award citation, the committee recognized Pillay’s contribution to strengthening international law. She has held positions in national and international judicial institutions and also led the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.