A federal judge in the United States has temporarily suspended sanctions imposed on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, ruling that the measures likely violated her constitutional right to freedom of expression.
US District Judge Richard Leon stated that the sanctions appeared to target Albanese because of “the idea or message expressed,” stressing that “protecting freedom of speech is always in the public interest.”
The sanctions had been imposed by the Trump administration in 2025 after Albanese strongly criticized the Zionist entity’s military operations in Gaza and called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate possible war crimes committed by Zionist and American officials. The measures included restrictions on entering the United States and access to the American banking system.
The legal challenge was filed by Albanese’s husband and daughter, who argued that the sanctions effectively isolated her financially and severely disrupted her daily life. The court accepted that her speech falls under First Amendment protections despite her residence outside the United States.
Following the ruling, Albanese welcomed the decision, describing it as a victory for free speech and international justice. In a message published on X, she wrote: “US court has suspended the US sanctions against me!”
Francesca Albanese has become one of the most prominent international voices documenting violations of international law in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories. Her reports and statements have repeatedly drawn criticism from Washington and the Zionist entity, while human rights organizations and several international figures have defended her mandate and work within the UN system.
