WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked US sanctions against Francesca Albanese, a UN expert on the Palestinian territories, saying the Trump administration likely violated her free-speech rights by imposing the measures after she criticized Israel’s war in Gaza.
Albanese, an Italian lawyer who is UN special rapporteur on the Israel-occupied Palestinian territories, was sanctioned after she publicly criticized Washington’s policy on Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza. The sanctions barred her from entering the US and banking there.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposed the sanctions on Albanese in July 2025, following an executive order by Trump authorizing such action against individuals involved with the ICC’s investigation of Israel’s actions in Gaza
Albanese’s husband and daughter, who is a US citizen, sued the Trump administration in February, alleging that the US sanctions are “effectively debanking her and making it nearly impossible to meet the needs of her daily life”.
They argued that the sanctions were an effort to punish Albanese for bringing attention to Israel’s rights abuses against Palestinians.
In his court order on Wednesday, US District Judge Richard Leon in Washington granted a preliminary injunction against the sanctions.
He found that Albanese’s residency outside the US does not undercut her protections under the first amendment of the US constitution and that the Trump administration sought to regulate her speech because of the “idea or message expressed”.
“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.
Albanese celebrated the ruling on social media.
“Thanks to my daughter and my husband for stepping up to defend me, and everyone who has helped so far,” Albanese said in a statement on X.
Since 2022, Albanese has served as the special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, where she monitors human rights abuses against Palestinians. The UN Human Rights Council selected her for the position.
The Trump administration sanctioned her saying she is “unfit” for her role and accusing her of “biased and malicious activities” against the US and its ally, Israel.
Albanese had also recommended that the International Criminal Court (ICC) pursue war crimes prosecutions against Israeli and US nationals.
The sanctions barred the Italian human rights expert from entering the US, using US banks and payment systems, and prevented anyone else in the US from doing business with her.
Source: Saudi Gazette