USA US court suspends sanctions against UN Palestine expert
A US federal judge has suspended US government sanctions against the UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories. Judge Richard Leon at the court in the District of Columbia justified the suspension on Wednesday on the grounds of protecting freedom of expression.
14.05.2026, 17:50
SDA
The husband and daughter of Italian lawyer Francesca Albanese, who is the UN Human Rights Council's special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, had filed a lawsuit against the US sanctions. Albanese thanked her family on Platform X.
US sanctions from July last year
The government of US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions against Albanese in July 2025. The US accused her of bias and anti-Semitism, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced at the time. She had contacted the International Criminal Court so that it could investigate or arrest US or Israeli nationals - without informing either country.
Trump had previously issued a decree against members of the International Criminal Court. This can be used to freeze the assets of those affected in the USA and prevent them and their family members from entering the United States.
UN expert raises serious accusations against Israel
The UN Special Rapporteur Albanese has often been criticized for her statements on the Gaza war and Israel. In February of this year, the foreign ministers of Germany and France strongly criticized statements made by the UN Special Rapporteur and called for her resignation.
