Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, has condemned US sanctions against her as an attack on human rights and international accountability. The Italian-born legal expert responded to the Trump administration’s decision by stating: “The powerful punishing those who speak for the powerless is not a sign of strength, but of guilt.”
Albanese, a human rights lawyer from Avellino, has become a central figure in international criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza. She has described the situation as a “genocide” and urged governments to impose sanctions on Israel. The US and Israel deny the genocide accusation, but Albanese maintains that Gaza is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe.
“All eyes must remain on Gaza, where children are dying of starvation in their mothers’ arms,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Let’s stand tall, together.”
The US State Department, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, added Albanese to its sanctions list on Wednesday. Rubio accused her of launching a “campaign of political and economic warfare” against the US and Israel. He claimed her actions had encouraged “illegitimate prosecutions” of Israeli officials at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The move has sparked sharp criticism from the United Nations and the European Union. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the sanctions set a dangerous precedent. Jürg Lauber, President of the UN Human Rights Council, urged all nations to refrain from “acts of intimidation or reprisal” against independent UN mandate holders.
UN rights chief Volker Türk also called for an end to threats against UN officials and judges of international courts. He expressed concern that the US action undermines the independence of international legal institutions.
In recent months, Albanese has issued several reports and letters encouraging governments to hold Israel accountable for alleged war crimes in Gaza. One of her latest reports named US companies she believes are contributing to the conflict through supply chains or support services.
Albanese has also voiced support for the ICC’s recent indictments against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others. These developments have drawn further backlash from US and Israeli officials, who accuse her of antisemitism and bias.
The EU has publicly opposed the US sanctions. “The EU strongly supports the United Nations human rights system and deeply regrets the decision to impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese,” said Anouar El Anouni, European Commission Foreign Affairs Spokesperson. He reaffirmed EU support for independent investigations into violations of international law.
Opposition question government’s silence over Albanese
In Italy, opposition parties have condemned the government’s silence. Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein described the lack of response as “shameful.” She called on Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to explain Italy’s position and defend Albanese, whom she described as the victim of a political campaign designed to silence dissent.
“This is not only yet another attack on multilateralism by Trump,” said Schlein, “but also confirmation of his support for Netanyahu’s criminal plan in Palestine.”
Albanese has held her UN role since 2022. Speaking to Middle East Eye after the sanctions were announced, she said: “My concern is there are people dying in Gaza while you and I are speaking, and the United Nations are totally unable to intervene.”
The Trump administration has taken an increasingly hard line against international bodies critical of Israel. Earlier this year, it began arresting and deporting US university staff and students who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.
Albanese remains defiant, urging the international community to focus on the suffering of civilians. “It looks like I’ve hit a nerve,” she said. “But I will not be silenced.”
