The U.S. Government Sanctions the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
Mwatana for Human Rights stated in a press release today that the decision by the United States government on Thursday, July 10, 2025, to impose unilateral sanctions on Francesca Albanese—the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1967 and a mandate holder of the United Nations Human Rights Council—constitutes a form of U.S. complicity in the crimes of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and starvation perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people. The U.S. sanctions against the UN rapporteur include the freezing of her financial assets, travel restrictions, and other penalties—an unprecedented move and a grave violation aimed at undermining the work of international mechanisms responsible for defending and protecting human rights.
U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio announced in a post on the X platform on Thursday, July 10, 2025, that he had imposed sanctions on UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese due to her "illegitimate and shameful efforts" to urge the International Criminal Court to take action against U.S. and Israeli officials, companies, and executives. He added that the United States would continue to take whatever actions it deems necessary to respond to "lawfare" and to protect its sovereignty and that of its allies.
Mwatana for Human Rights affirmed that this measure violates Article 104 of the United Nations Charter, which stipulates that the UN shall enjoy in the territory of each of its member states such legal capacity as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfillment of its purposes. It also violates Article 105 of the Charter, which states that the Organization and its officials shall enjoy in the territory of each member state such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the fulfillment of its purposes, and that UN representatives and staff shall enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their functions in connection with the Organization. Furthermore, the action contradicts the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations (1946), to which the United States is a party.
Radhya Al-Mutawakel, Chairperson of Mwatana for Human Rights, stated, “Imposing sanctions on a Human Rights Council rapporteur for fulfilling her mandated responsibilities sets a dangerous precedent and reflects a systematic U.S. policy of targeting human rights mechanisms and undermining the work of international human rights institutions.”
She added, “The United States must reverse this decision and recognize that by repeatedly violating international norms in this way, it is dismantling the international order and dragging the world into a state of lawlessness.”
Al-Mutawakel further stated, “The United States must assume its responsibilities as a member state of the United Nations by adhering to the principles of international law and international treaties—foremost among them the UN Charter—and by ending its irresponsible support for Israel, which such disgraceful actions only embolden to commit further crimes and atrocities.”
On July 10, 2025, the United Nations issued a press statement condemning the U.S. decision and calling for its reversal. The President of the UN Human Rights Council, Ambassador Jürg Lauber, urged full cooperation with special rapporteurs and other mandate holders of the Council and called for an end to all acts of intimidation or retaliation against them.
Francesca Albanese is known for her strong positions against the horrific violations committed against Palestinians. She has repeatedly called on the International Criminal Court and the international community to take effective measures to end the crime of genocide in Gaza and to hold those responsible accountable.
Mwatana for Human Rights called on the international community, including UN member states, to confront retaliatory actions targeting UN personnel, international human rights bodies, and human rights defenders more broadly. It urged all actors to fulfill their responsibility to protect these individuals and institutions, refrain from any attempts to influence or undermine their work and independence, and called on the United States to reverse this decision, cease its targeting of human rights defenders, and fulfill its legal and moral obligations to protect them.
