Federal Judge Blocks US Sanctions Against UN Rapporteur Francesca Albanese
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's sanctions on the UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese. The decision allows the rapporteur's US bank accounts and contracts to be reopened. The White House said it reserved the right to appeal.
The federal court in Washington accepted Albanese's argument that the Trump administration's sanctions raise serious concerns under the United Nations immunity framework and US constitutional safeguards. The judge halted enforcement of the sanctions while the underlying case continues.
As a result, restrictions on Albanese's US bank accounts, academic agreements and travel transactions are temporarily lifted. The sanctions had been imposed in late 2025 over the rapporteur's UN reports on Israel's military operations in Gaza.
A spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General welcomed the ruling and called for the independence of rapporteurs to be protected. Israel's foreign ministry said the decision "did not address the substance" and urged the White House to file an appeal.
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