Unacceptable and shameful US sanctions against those seeking justice

On July 9, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese. The basis for the decision was the UN Rapporteur’s alleged “biased and malicious activities” as well as her claimed "unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism, and open contempt for the United States, Israel, and the West”. The statement takes explicit issue with the Rapporteur’s engagement with the International Criminal Court (ICC), and in particular her request to the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

On 5 September 2025, the US government imposed sanctions on three leading Palestinian human rights NGOs -Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights- for carrying out legitimate human rights work and advocating for justice for victims.

These sanctions follow the broader US ICC-related sanctions programme under Trump’s Executive Order 14203, “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court” issued in February 2025. The EO authorizes sanctions against those assisting in ICC investigations that the US is opposed to in order to undermine them. In particular, they impose asset freezes and entry bans against individuals designated by the order and any other persons involved in ICC investigations (see Human Rights First’s “Questions and Answers: U.S. Sanctions on the International Criminal Court” – March 2025, and “Unpacking the U.S. Sanctions on a UN Special Rapporteur” – August 2025). Since the Executive Order, the US has designated the ICC Prosecutor, the two Deputy Prosecutors, and a number of ICC judges as individuals to be sanctioned. With the latest decisions, Ms. Albanese and human rights defenders have become yet another target of the US administration.

As a group of international human rights lawyers and activists engaged in roles often similar to that of Ms. Albanese in terms of functions, often reporting or advocating on human rights and international justice, criticising governmental actions and policies, and exposing ourselves to the targeting of state and political institutions, we are deeply concerned by the decision to sanction Ms. Albanese, civil society organisations and ICC officials.

Ms. Albanese was appointed UN Special Rapporteur in 2022. Since then, she has extensively reported, as per her mandate, on human rights issues in the occupied Palestinian territories. UN Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts tasked with investigating, analysing, reporting, and providing recommendations on human rights issues.

Throughout her role as Special Rapporteur, Ms. Albanese has done exactly that. She has strenuously advocated for peace between Israel and Palestine by “ending the genocide, the unlawful occupation of what remains of Mandate Palestine, and then, ending apartheid, for both Palestinians and Israelis - so they will be able to live in freedom and peace in the land they both call home.”

Despite this, Ms. Albanese has been the target of many wholly unwarranted and unacceptable attacks during her mandate, ultimately culminating in the imposition of sanctions meant to silence her and those she aims to defend.

On September 4, 2025, Ms. Albanese attended a hearing at the Italian Senate, sharing how these sanctions have impacted her private life: she is unable to use her bank account and forced to carry around large sums of cash (which is an obvious personal security risk), and fears for family members, friends, and acquaintances who may themselves become targets of US sanctions for providing her with any form of support.

The International Court of Justice has already clarified that UN Special Rapporteurs, such as Ms. Albanese, are “experts on mission” and therefore enjoy immunity from legal process under Article VI, Section 22 of the 1946 UN Convention on Privileges and Immunities.

Numerous organizations have already expressed their concern over the issuance of sanctions against Ms. Albanese, calling them “shameless efforts to block justice for the world’s worst crimes” (Human Rights Watch) and warning that “their chilling effect will present an existential threat to the mandate of all UN Special Procedures and the entire UN human rights machinery” (International Commission of Jurists).

Similarly, sanctions against civil society organisations are a threat to civic space and a grave attempt at silencing human rights defenders who put their lives at risk to seek accountability. In a climate of impunity, the work done by civil society in documenting violations and engaging accountability efforts is crucial.

The UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said that the sanctions imposed by the US Government on three prominent and well-respected Palestinian human rights groups are completely unacceptable and should be withdrawn. On 10 September 2025, the EU Special Representative on Human Rights expressed concern at the sanctioning of Al Haq, Al Mezan and PCHR, key partners of her office providing “vital information on the situation in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem” and “urged the immediate withdrawal of the sanctions to enable civil society to exercise its role in documenting violations”.

Governments worldwide, international organizations, civil society, and legal professionals, such as the Law Society of the United Kingdom and the American Bar Association, amongst others, denounced the US ICC-related sanctions programme and designations as undermining the very functioning of the international justice system and negatively impacting victims' rights to access justice and redress.

We stand in solidarity with these widely respected organisations and human rights defenders who were punished for legitimately pursuing accountability and redress for victims of international crimes, including at the ICC.

US sanctions were meant to target those who violate human rights and are responsible for international crimes, and not for human rights defenders, UN or ICC officials. Imposed on the ICC and those who cooperate with it, they bluntly disregard victims’ access and rights to justice, and represent a threat to the rule of law and the international rules-based order, a threat to any independent legal institution, including the UN, and anyone advocating for human rights and the respect of international norms.

Everyone, including human rights defenders, deserves the right to speak up for human rights and have their voice heard without harassment and abuse. Measures such as sanctions against UN mandate holders and human rights defenders are not only deplorable and unacceptable, but they also inflict injury and negatively impact the mental and physical well-being of those affected.

Legal professionals and human rights defenders should not face intimidation and restrictions on their civil rights as a form of retaliation against their work in favour of victims. The work performed by Ms. Albanese and that of her numerous colleagues as well as Palestinian NGOs, either already sanctioned or at risk of falling under sanctions, reflects professional integrity, commitment to the rule of law and to ensuring the voices of victims are heard,and the independence of investigative mechanisms.

The undersigned call on:

*The US administration to immediately lift sanctions against Ms. Albanese, Palestinian NGOs Al Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR, and all ICC judges and officials, in accordance with the UN Convention on Privileges and Immunities, and to safeguard the professional and personal liberty of human rights defenders everywhere;

*States and international organisations around the world to condemn and oppose these sanctions, and guarantee protection and support to Francesca Albanese, civil society including Al Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR, as well as ICC officials.