Donald Trump is again reacting strongly to the Norwegian Nobel Committee's choice of peace laureate this year. Speaking to an audience at a campaign rally, he describes the choice as "embarrassing" - but at the same time says he does not know the laureate, Pillay.
"I've never heard of this person, but congratulations anyway," he says.
Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire to be awarded the prize during his second term in the White House. He is now criticizing the committee.
The Nobel Peace Prize has been forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues who are opponents of democracy and are in fact the enemies of civilization, says Trump.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has emphasized that South African Pillay, with “exceptional courage and integrity, has led the way towards a more cohesive global legal order.”
Facts: Navanethem "Navi" Pillay
Born in 1941 in Durban, South Africa, to parents of Indian Tamil origin. She is an international lawyer, judge and human rights advocate.
Played a key role as a lawyer during the apartheid regime, when she, among other things, defended opponents of apartheid and criticized the regime's interrogation methods.
Was a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) between 1995 and 2003 and its president from 1999.
Was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights between 2008 and 2014.
Was a judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague between 2003 and 2008.
Particularly noted for her efforts to include rape and sexual crimes in the definitions of genocide and crimes against humanity. Last year, she concluded that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Earlier this year, she was awarded the Olof Palme Prize together with her South African legal colleague John Dugard.
Today, she sits as a judge in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against the military junta in Myanmar.
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