The prize is awarded by the German bookstore trade association Börsenverein.
The French-British lawyer and author Philippe Sands is an expert in international law and works at a court in The Hague. He is praised by the Börsenverein for his “narrative brilliance” and “historical depth,” and is called one of the most important human rights lawyers of our time.
Sands has long fought for human rights and has also pushed to make environmental destruction (ecocide) punishable under international law.
To a wider audience, Sands is known for his literary non-fiction books, such as the acclaimed, Swedish-translated "Road to Nuremberg" and "The Rat Line."
The award will be presented on October 11 in Frankfurt.
