The family of United Nations special rapporteur Francesca Albanese has filed a lawsuit against the administration of President Donald Trump, challenging sanctions imposed on her over her criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The suit, filed in U.S. district court in Washington by Albanese’s husband and minor child, contends that the penalties were designed to punish her for drawing attention to human rights abuses against Palestinians.
Albanese, an Italian legal scholar, has served since 2022 as the UN special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, a role that involves monitoring and reporting on human rights conditions in the Palestinian territories.
The lawsuit argues that the sanctions violate protections guaranteed under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“Francesca’s expression of her views about the facts as she has found them in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and about the work of the ICC is core First Amendment activity,” the filing states.
It further asserts: “At its heart, this case concerns whether Defendants can sanction a person – ruining their life and the lives of their loved ones, including their citizen daughter – because Defendants disagree with their recommendations or fear their persuasiveness.”
The Trump administration sanctioned Albanese in July, describing her as “unfit” for her role and accusing her of “biased and malicious activities” against the United States and Israel.
Washington has also criticized her engagement with the International Criminal Court, which issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in Gaza.
U.S. sanctions typically freeze any assets held in the country and restrict Americans from conducting business with the designated individual.
Albanese has said the measures would have personal consequences, noting her ties to the United States.
“My daughter is American. I’ve been living in the US and I have some assets there. So of course, it’s going to harm me,” she said.
Both Israel and the United States have rejected accusations that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide.
The State Department has previously defended the sanctions as “legal and appropriate” and dismissed the lawsuit as “baseless lawfare.”
Despite the penalties, Albanese has continued issuing reports critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.