By Suleman Chitera
The administration of United States President Donald Trump has slapped sanctions on United Nations special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, citing her critical reports on Israel’s alleged human rights violations during its ongoing offensive in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measures on Wednesday, accusing Albanese of orchestrating a “campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel.”
Albanese, who has served as the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory since 2022, has been at the forefront of global advocacy, urging the international community to hold Israel accountable for what she and other experts have described as acts amounting to genocide.
For years, Israel and its allies have harshly criticized Albanese, with some calling for her dismissal from the UN role. The latest US move marks an unprecedented step of direct sanctions against a UN-appointed human rights expert.
Despite the pressure, Albanese appeared unfazed. Reached by Al Jazeera, she dismissed the sanctions as “mafia-style intimidation techniques.”
“Busy reminding member states of their obligations to stop and punish genocide. And those who profit from it,” she wrote in a text message.
The sanctions have sparked outrage among human rights defenders and renewed debate over the independence of UN experts. Critics accuse Washington of silencing dissenting voices amid growing international condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
As the Gaza conflict continues to claim thousands of lives, Albanese remains a key figure documenting alleged violations, undeterred by mounting political attacks.
