The United States has imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, in a move widely condemned as retaliation for her condemnation of Israeli war crimes in Gaza and her cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC). The decision has sparked outrage across the Global South, where it is seen as a blatant attempt to suppress independent voices calling for justice.

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The sanctions were announced Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who accused Albanese of leading a “campaign of political and economic warfare” against the United States and Israel.

The measures freeze any assets Albanese may hold in the U.S., prohibit financial transactions with American individuals or entities, and revoke her U.S. visa. They were issued under Executive Order 14203, signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025, which allows sanctions against anyone cooperating with International Criminal Court investigations into Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Rubio also accused Albanese—without presenting any evidence—of antisemitism, support for terrorism, and contempt for the West. The real offense, critics say, is that she dared to support international legal processes and label Israel’s devastating war on Gaza for what it is: a crime against humanity.

US sanctions UN expert Albanese over Israel criticism https://t.co/qCTH2y5TNS

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 9, 2025

Since October 2023, when Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza following Hamas-led attacks that killed around 1,200 people, Albanese has emerged as one of the most consistent voices documenting the atrocities committed against Palestinians. Gaza’s health ministry estimates over 57,000 Palestinians have been killed—most of them women and children—as a result of Israel’s bombing and ground invasion.

Albanese has repeatedly called for a global arms embargo on Israel and for economic sanctions to halt what she calls the “most brutal genocide of the 21st century.” In recent months, she urged the ICC to investigate multinational corporations—some based in the U.S.—that have profited from the war.

She also condemned European governments, including France, Italy, and Greece, for allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pass through their airspace despite an ICC arrest warrant. “As parties to the Rome Statute, these states are obligated to arrest him,” she stated.

Responding to the sanctions on social media, Albanese wrote, “I stand firmly and convincingly on the side of justice, as I always have.” Speaking to Al Jazeera, she described the move as “mafia-style intimidation tactics.”

Just to be sure, on this day more than ever: I stand firmly and convincingly on the side of justice, as I have always done. I come from a country with a tradition of illustrious legal scholars, talented lawyers and corageous judges who have defended justice at great cost and… https://t.co/Oytoeg5QMo

— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) July 9, 2025

The reaction from human rights organizations has been swift. Amnesty International called the sanctions a “disgraceful affront to international justice,” and Dylan Williams of the Center for International Policy described the move as “rogue state behavior.”

“This action undermines the credibility of international law and targets the very mechanisms meant to protect the most vulnerable,” said Amnesty’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard. She urged governments and institutions worldwide to resist and counter the impact of the U.S. decision.

Dismayed by the official sanctions that the US government has decided to impose on the UN Special Rapporteur, @FranceskAlbs

We recall that Special Rapporteurs are independent experts. They are not appointed to please governments or to be popular but to deliver their mandate.…

— Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) July 9, 2025

The sanctions are part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to criminalize support for Palestinian rights. In recent months, U.S. authorities have arrested and deported students and academics participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on university campuses.

Rather than isolate Albanese, the U.S. sanctions have amplified her voice—and the urgency of the issues she has raised. For many in the Global South, the move reflects a longstanding pattern of Western impunity and double standards. In defending Francesca Albanese, communities and movements around the world are not just defending one voice—they are defending the right to name injustice, to resist genocide, and to hold power accountable.

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