Chicago – July 10, 2025
The US government has sanctioned UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese after she sharply criticized Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and advocated for legal repercussions against Israeli leaders and corporations aiding the campaign.
On July 9, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions, accusing Albanese of using her UN role to wage “political and economic warfare” by urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to pursue cases against US and Israeli officials and companies . The measures freeze any US-held assets of Albanese and bar her and her immediate family from entering the country .
Rubio alleged that Albanese displayed “open contempt” for Israel and the US, accused her of antisemitism and support for terrorism, and criticized her outreach to major American firms—including tech giants—accusing them of complicity in alleged war crimes .
Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2022, has led efforts to document civilian suffering in Gaza. In a recent report, she named more than 60 international companies—ranging from defense contractors to financial institutions—urging them to halt operations supporting Israeli actions in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories .
Rights groups swiftly condemned the US move. Amnesty International’s Secretary-General Agnès Callamard denounced the sanctions as a “shameful attack” on international justice and urged global efforts to resist them .
