Federal Judge Blocks US Sanctions on UN Expert Over Free Speech
Overview of the Court Ruling and Its Implications
By Karen Sloan
Background of the Sanctions
May 13 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked U.S. sanctions against Francesca Albanese, a U.N. expert on the Palestinian territories, finding that the Trump administration likely violated her free-speech rights by imposing the measures after she criticized U.S. ally Israel’s war in Gaza.
Details of the Sanctions
The sanctions barred her from entering the U.S. and banking there. Albanese, an Italian lawyer who is U.N. special rapporteur on the Israel-occupied Palestinian territories, recommended the International Criminal Court pursue war-crimes prosecutions against Israeli and American nationals.
Legal Challenge by Albanese's Family
• Albanese's husband and daughter, who is a U.S. citizen, sued the Trump administration in February, alleging that the U.S. sanctions are "effectively debanking her and making it nearly impossible to meet the needs of her daily life.”
Judge's Findings and Rationale
• U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington found that Albanese’s residency outside the U.S. does not undercut her protections under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and that the Trump administration sought to regulate her speech because of the "idea or message expressed.”
Broader Context and Reactions
• Albanese has described sanctions as part of a broader U.S. strategy to weaken international accountability mechanisms.
(Reporting by Karen Sloan; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
