Washington lifts sanctions on UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese by judicial decision

US authorities announced on Wednesday the lifting of financial and legal sanctions that had been imposed on the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese. This step came in implementation of a judicial order issued by federal courts, after a period of diplomatic and legal tension surrounding the international official's positions on the war in the Gaza Strip.

A formal notice published on the US Treasury Department's website confirmed the removal of Albanese's name from the global blacklist, a measure that had prohibited her from using major credit cards or conducting any transactions through the international banking system. This reversal represents a shift in the punitive measures taken by the US administration against UN figures critical of Israeli policies.

Washington had imposed these sanctions in July 2025, in response to statements made by Albanese criticizing US support for military operations in the Gaza Strip. The justifications for the sanctions at the time also included her recommendation to the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges related to war crimes.

For his part, Federal Judge Richard Leon issued a decision to suspend these sanctions last week, emphasizing in his ruling that the protection of freedom of expression must remain a priority that serves the public interest. The judicial decision considered that restricting the UN official's financial movement due to her political views represents a legal overreach that requires immediate correction.

In contrast, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had launched a sharp attack on Albanese when the sanctions were announced last year, describing her activities as "biased and malicious." Rubio explicitly accused her of antisemitism and supporting terrorism, accusations that Albanese categorically rejected, asserting that she was performing her professional duty in monitoring human rights violations.

Albanese, an Italian lawyer, has held her UN position since 2022 under a mandate from the Human Rights Council, and although she does not officially speak on behalf of the international organization, her reports receive widespread attention. In previous reports, she accused the Israeli occupation authorities of committing acts amounting to "genocide" in the Gaza Strip, which exposed her to intense international pressure.

The UN rapporteur confirms that she has been subjected to a series of threats and harassment since assuming her duties, due to her outspoken positions on violations in the occupied territories. The lifting of sanctions against her brings renewed attention to the legal and political conflict within the United States regarding the limits of criticizing Israel and protecting immunities associated with international human rights work.

Protecting freedom of expression always serves the public interest.