US reaffirms position on sanctions against Italian politician Francesca Albanese remains unchanged

US Sanctions Against UN Special Rapporteur Reversed After Court Ruling

The US Department of State clarified on Thursday that sanctions imposed on Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the Palestinian territory, were lifted due to a recent court ruling. The administration had targeted Albanese with sanctions in July 2025 after she recommended that the International Criminal Court issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials.

Albanese, an Italian human rights expert, has been critical of Israeli policies towards Palestinians and has issued reports documenting alleged human rights abuses in Gaza. Her daughter is a US citizen, and her family filed a civil complaint in a US federal court seeking to overturn the sanctions as a violation of Albanese’s constitutional rights.

In February, US District Judge Richard Leon sided with the plaintiffs, issuing a preliminary injunction to block the sanctions against Albanese. The judge ruled that the government had sought to regulate Albanese due to her speech, stating that “Albanese has done nothing more than speak” and that her recommendations have no binding effect on the ICC’s actions.

The Department of State stated that it has appealed the court’s order but intends to restore Albanese’s name to the list of Specially Designated Nationals if the DC Circuit stays or overturns the ruling. The administration maintains that its policy towards Albania remains unchanged, despite the reversal of sanctions.

Source: Al Jazeera