A US federal judge has suspended US government sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories.
Judge Richard Leon at the District of Columbia court justified the suspension on Wednesday on grounds of protecting freedom of speech. Albanese's husband and daughter had filed a lawsuit against the US sanctions. Albanese, an Italian jurist, thanked her family on the platform X.
The administration of US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Albanese in July 2025. In a statement outlining the sanctions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: "Albanese has spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism, and open contempt for the United States, Israel, and the West."
The administration said she had contacted the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prompt investigations or arrests of US or Israeli nationals without informing either country. Neither country is a member of the court. Previously, Trump had issued an executive order targeting ICC members.
The sanctions allow assets of those affected in the United States to be frozen and bars those individuals and their family members from entering the US.
Albanese has frequently drawn criticism for her statements on the Gaza war and on Israel.
In February this year the foreign ministers of Germany and France sharply criticized comments she made and called for her to resign.
