A U.S. federal judge has suspended government sanctions imposed on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories, in a ruling that temporarily blocks measures taken against the outspoken critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Judge Richard Leon at the District of Columbia court justified the suspension on Wednesday on the grounds of protecting freedom of speech. Albanese's husband and daughter had filed a lawsuit against the U.S. sanctions. Albanese, an Italian jurist, thanked her family on the platform X.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Albanese in July 2025. In a statement outlining the sanctions, U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S.
