US court suspends sanctions on UN expert on Palestinians

WASHINGTON: US judge on Wednesday imposed a temporary injunction on sanctions imposed last year by Washington on a United Nations expert on the occupied Palestinian territories.

UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese was sanctioned in July 2025 after she publicly criticized Washington's policy on Gaza.

In announcing the sanctions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed the UN expert's criticism of the United States and said she recommended to the International Criminal Court that arrest warrants be issued against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Italian-born expert, who assumed her mandate in 2022, has faced harsh criticism by Israel and some of its allies over her relentless criticism and long-standing accusations that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza.

In his court order Wednesday, US District Judge Richard Leon granted a preliminary injunction against the sanctions, according to a court filing seen by AFP.

"Protecting the freedom of speech is 'always' in the public interest," Leon wrote in an opinion accompanying the order.

Albanese, who said the US sanctions were "calculated to weaken my mission" when they were first imposed, and 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. "Together we are One."

UN special rapporteurs like Albanese are independent experts who are appointed by the UN rights council but do not speak on behalf of the United Nations.