Lawyer Philippe Sands receives the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade — Deutsche Welle

In Frankfurt am Main, Germany, French-British lawyer and writer Philippe Sands received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. The award was presented at the close of the Frankfurt Book Fair in the presence of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Deutsche Welle reports.

Recognition for defending human rights

The jury described Sands as a committed humanist who tirelessly advocates for human rights, justice and mutual understanding despite growing resistance. The decision stated that his work is based on a commitment to the universal rights of every person. In particular, the jury noted his defense of the interests of victims of war crimes, racism, torture and colonial injustice.

Sands is a professor of law at University College London and a human rights lawyer at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He gained wide recognition for his 2016 book East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. It tells the story of the lives of two lawyers of Jewish origin — Hersch Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin — and the development of international criminal law.

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Criticism of Germany's position

In his acceptance speech, Sands criticized what he called Germany's inappropriate silence regarding Israel and its actions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. He said that human rights violations should be named directly, including when allies are involved, and that such criticism is neither antisemitic nor anti-Israeli.

The lawyer also condemned Hamas's attack of October 7, 2023, calling it horrific and a crime against the norms of international law. At the same time, he recognized Israel's right to self-defense, emphasizing that it is not unlimited and must be exercised within the framework of international law.