US reinstates Palestinian rights expert Francesca Albanese on sanctions list

US Government Reinstates Sanctions Against UN Human Rights Expert Francesca Albanese

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has updated its website, adding Italian citizen Francesca Albanese to its list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN). This move comes after a temporary injunction was granted by a US District Judge in February, which had removed Albanese from the sanctions list. The judge’s ruling found that the Trump administration’s actions had curtailed Albanese’s constitutionally protected speech.

Albanese serves as the UN’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory and has been critical of Israeli policies. In July 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against her, citing “lawfare” and “biased and malicious activities” against Israel. The sanctions barred Albanese from entering the US, froze her assets in the country, and prevented any US-based entity from doing business with her.

Albanese’s family filed a lawsuit on her behalf, stating that the sanctions had disrupted her life and prevented her from accessing her bank account. In May 2025, US District Judge Richard Leon ruled in favour of the Albanese family’s lawsuit, granting a temporary injunction against the sanctions. However, the Trump administration appealed the ruling and issued an administrative stay, allowing them to once again enforce Albanese’s designation as a sanctioned foreign national.

Albanese has been vocal about her assessment that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, a view shared by leading human rights experts worldwide. Since taking office for a second term, President Donald Trump is estimated to have issued sanctions against nine ICC judges and prosecutors involved in probes into abuses by US and Israeli forces.

Source: Al Jazeera