Fact check: Have any felons been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recent years?

1. Summary of the results

Yes, multiple felons have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recent years. The evidence shows at least three documented cases:

• Donald Trump, a convicted felon, was nominated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ^[1]
• Desmond Meade, a felon, received a nomination in 2023 for his work in restoring voting rights for past felons ^[2]
• Hada, an ethnic Mongolian dissident and felon, was nominated in 2025 for his advocacy work ^[3]

The analyses confirm that having a criminal record does not disqualify someone from Nobel Peace Prize nominations, as the nomination process allows various qualified individuals and organizations to submit candidates based on their contributions to peace efforts.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the distinction between Nobel Peace Prize winners who later became prisoners versus felons who were nominated:

• Ales Bialiatski, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on what are described as "trumped-up charges" ^[4]
• Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner, is an imprisoned Iranian human rights advocate fighting against regime oppression ^[5]

These cases represent activists who became prisoners due to their human rights work, rather than traditional felons seeking nominations. This distinction is crucial because it highlights how authoritarian regimes benefit from criminalizing peace activists, while democratic societies may recognize the rehabilitation potential of former felons who contribute to social justice.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral but could potentially be used to suggest impropriety in the Nobel nomination process. The framing as "felons" without context might imply that criminal records should automatically disqualify peace work recognition.

However, the evidence shows that some nominees like Desmond Meade specifically work on criminal justice reform and voting rights restoration ^[2], while others like Hada are dissidents whose "felon" status stems from political persecution ^[3]. Political figures and their supporters would benefit from either promoting or criticizing these nominations depending on their alignment with the nominees' causes or political affiliations.