US Judge Richard Leon Suspends Sanctions Against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese

A US federal judge temporarily suspended sanctions imposed on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, after ruling that the Trump administration likely violated her constitutional right to freedom of expression tied to criticism of the Israeli war on Gaza.

“A federal judge has temporarily blocked United States sanctions against Francesca Albanese, a United Nations expert on the occupied Palestinian territory”

Al Jazeera

US District Judge Richard Leon issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday blocking enforcement of sanctions introduced by Washington in July 2025 against the Italian legal scholar.

Al Jazeera

Leon said the case turned on constitutional protections for speech, writing, “Protecting the freedom of speech is ‘always’ in the public interest,” while the injunction froze implementation of the sanctions while broader legal proceedings continue.

The sanctions had been imposed after Albanese publicly criticized US policy related to the Israeli war on Gaza and supported legal accountability efforts involving Israeli officials, with the measures originally announced by former US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Al Jazeera also reported that Leon granted a preliminary injunction on Wednesday and found that the Trump administration sought to regulate her speech because of the “idea or message expressed.”

Albanese welcomed the court decision and posted on X, writing, “Thanks to my daughter and my husband for stepping up to defend me, and everyone who has helped so far. Together we are One.”

The sanctions had been imposed by the Trump administration in 2025 after Albanese strongly criticized the Zionist entity’s military operations in Gaza and called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate possible war crimes committed by Zionist and American officials.

Al-Jazeera Net

In announcing the sanctions, Marco Rubio accused Albanese of unfairly targeting the United States and Israel through public statements and legal recommendations, and Rubio particularly objected to Albanese’s reported support for proceedings at the ICC involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The sanctions included restrictions on entering the United States and access to the American banking system, and Albanese’s husband and daughter argued the measures effectively isolated her financially and severely disrupted her daily life.

Al Jazeera reported that Leon wrote, “Albanese has done nothing more than speak,” and that it was undisputed her recommendations had no binding effect on the ICC’s actions.

The court order described the sanctions as likely unconstitutional because Leon found that Albanese’s residence outside the United States did not reduce the protections granted to her under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

“A federal judge in the United States has temporarily suspended sanctions imposed on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, ruling that the measures likely violated her constitutional right to freedom of expression”

AL24 News

The sanctions had barred her from entering the US and using US banks and payment systems, and the family lawsuit said the measures were “effectively debanking her and making it nearly impossible to meet the needs of her daily life”.

Albanese had previously described the sanctions as measures “calculated to weaken my mission,” and multiple outlets tied the legal challenge to her calls for ICC accountability connected to the war on Gaza.

The Straits Times reported that Leon granted a preliminary injunction on May 13 and quoted his reasoning that “Protecting the freedom of speech is ‘always’ in the public interest,” while noting Albanese celebrated the ruling on social media.

In the broader dispute over Gaza-related accountability, Anadolu Ajansı reported that Rubio said the sanctions were imposed for Albanese’s “illegitimate and shameful efforts” to prompt ICC action against U.S. and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.