The United States Department of Treasury removed UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese from its sanctions list on Wednesday, rescinding a travel ban and financial restrictions imposed by the Trump administration in July 2025, just one week after a federal judge in Washington ruled that the measures were potentially an unconstitutional violation of free speech.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) updated its list of Specially Designated Nationals, effectively canceling the prohibition on Albanese entering the United States and unfreezing any assets affected by the penalties.

The Italian lawyer, who serves as the UN rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, had been sanctioned for criticizing Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and calling for investigations into possible war crimes committed by Israeli and U.S. authorities.

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On May 13, a federal court temporarily suspended the sanctions, finding that they likely infringed on constitutional free‑speech protections. Albanese’s family, who live in the United States, had previously denounced the measures, noting that the rapporteur was unable to return to her home in Washington, where her daughter, a U.S. citizen, resides.

The Trump administration had imposed the sanctions under a program linked to the International Criminal Court, accusing Albanese of promoting legal actions against U.S. allies and officials.

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