Actors, writers, musicians, and intellectuals across Italy are uniting to support Francesca Albanese. She is the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Palestinians, recently sanctioned by the United States. The sanctions target her for reporting on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The cultural collective Tlon, led by Andrea Colamedici and Maura Gancitano, initiated an open letter. It calls on President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to protect Albanese diplomatically. The letter also urges the Italian Parliament to back a unified motion defending her.
Among the first signatories are leading Italian actors such as Pierfrancesco Favino, Stefano Accorsi, Valeria Golino, Luca Zingaretti, Valerio Mastandrea, and Claudio Santamaria. They are joined by cultural figures including Serena Dandini, Lella Costa, and Alessandro Bergonzoni. Intellectuals such as art historian Tomaso Montanari and writer Lidia Ravera also support the cause.
Notable contemporary musicians like Marracash, Francesca Michielin, Cosmo, and La Rappresentante di Lista have added their names. The letter now has eighty signatories in total.
The letter condemns the sanctions imposed on 9 July 2025 by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It calls them “an explicit attempt to divert world attention from the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.” Over 60,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, more than half of them women and children.
“We cannot allow sanctions against those who document human rights violations to become a tool for perpetuating impunity,” the letter states.
Meanwhile, Italian street artist Harry Gleb painted a mural in Rome declaring “Hands Off Francesca Albanese.” He said, “Silence on Gaza is complicity.”
The cultural sector’s response highlights growing concern in Italy over the US actions and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
