Washington (QNN)- A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked US sanctions against United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese, finding that the Trump administration likely violated her free speech rights by imposing the measures after she criticized Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Albanese, an Italian lawyer who is UN special rapporteur on the Israel-occupied Palestinian territories, was sanctioned in July 2025 following her public criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza. In a scathing report published on 30 June, she named more than 60 companies – including Google, Amazon and Microsoft – that she said were involved in "the transformation of Israel’s economy of occupation into an economy of genocide".
The report called for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and national judicial systems to pursue investigations and prosecute corporate executives and companies. It also called on the United Nations' member states to pursue sanctions and asset freezes.
The sanctions barred her from entering the US and banking there.
Albanese’s husband and daughter, who is a US citizen, sued the Trump administration in February, saying that the US sanctions are “effectively debanking her and making it nearly impossible to meet the needs of her daily life”.
US District Judge Richard Leon said "protecting the freedom of speech is 'always' in the public interest" in an opinion accompanying the court order, as he granted a preliminary injunction against the sanctions.
“Albanese has done nothing more than speak!” Leon wrote in his opinion. “It is undisputed that her recommendations have no binding effect on the ICC’s actions-they are nothing more than her opinion.”
Albanese has described sanctions as part of a broader US strategy to weaken international accountability mechanisms.
"Thanks to my daughter and my husband for stepping up to defend me, and everyone who has helped so far. Together we are One," Albanese said in a post on X.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez awarded the Order of Civil Merit to the special rapporteur on 7 May, in an apparent show of solidarity. A day earlier, Sanchez also formally requested the European Commission activate the EU’s Blocking Statute to shield the ICC and the United Nations from US sanctions.
Albanese has been vocal in her criticisms of Israel’s assault in Gaza, which she has described as genocide ong with several human rights organizations.
She has also called out the international community over its failure to prevent and punish acts of torture, genocide and other serious human rights violations.
