A judge ordered yesterday Wednesday that there should be a suspension for his special rapporteur on the situation regarding the occupied, Francesca Albanese.
Ms. Albanese has been banned since July 2025 following her fierce criticism of the US government’s policy on the .
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused the Italian lawyer and UN commissioner for Gaza of recommending to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Albanian Report on the Gaza Genocide
Ms Albanese has accused Israel of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, in the war it launched in retaliation for Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on the southern part of the Israeli territory.
Temporary suspension of sanctions
In a ruling released yesterday, federal judge Richard Lyon ordered a temporary suspension of the sanctions.
“Protecting freedom of expression is always in the public interest,” Judge Lyons explained.
Albanese considers obstacles to her mission
Ms Albanese, who believes the US sanctions against her were “calculated” and intended to prevent her from carrying out “her mission”, welcomed the court decision.
“Together we are one,” he said via X, thanking “everyone who has offered help so far.”
BREAKING! US court ha suspended the US sanctions against me!
As the judge says: “Protecting the Freedom of speech is always just the public interest”.
Thanks to my daughter and my husband for stepping up to defend me, and everyone who has helped so far.Together we are One.
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPT (@FranceskAlbs)
The Italian lawyer, 49 years old, has repeatedly complained that she receives “threats”.