The United Nations (UN) is urging the U.S. to drop sanctions against one of its top advisors.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against Francesca Albanese, over her calls for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate global businesses’ roles in economically supporting Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
Albanese has a high-profile position as an expert on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and has criticised Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since October 2023.
Francesca Albanese
Albanese is a lawyer based in Tunisia in North Africa. She is not related to Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
She was appointed as a UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory of Gaza and the West Bank in 2022. A Special Rapporteur is an independent legal expert on the human rights situation in a given location.
She has vocally opposed Israel’s response to Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks, repeatedly referring to the war on Gaza as a genocide. Israel rejects these allegations.
ICC
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is tasked with prosecuting individuals accused of crimes against humanity, including genocide, torture, and sexual violence.
Last year, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with other leaders of Israel and Hamas.
The move was condemned by the U.S, which doesn’t recognise the ICC’s authority. Earlier this year, Trump ordered sanctions against ICC officials, blocking them from entering the U.S.
Sanctions
Rubio announced he was placing sanctions on Albanese in line with previous measures against ICC officials.
Sanctions are restrictions governments can impose on people, organisations, and other countries.
Rubio accused Albanese of “writing threatening letters” to dozens of companies urging them to cut economic ties to Israel.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
In a report handed to the UN Human Rights Council last week, Albanese accused some companies of “sustaining Israel’s illegal occupation and ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza”.
Rubio’s statement accused Albanese of “unabashed antisemitism,” saying she was carrying out “biased and malicious activities”.
Under the sanctions regime, U.S. individuals and companies will be barred from trading financially with Albanese. Any U.S-based assets that she owns will be frozen.
She also won’t be able to enter the U.S, which could raise challenges for her role in gaining access to the UN headquarters in New York.
The U.S. donates more to the UN than any other country.
Reaction
In response, Albanese posted on social media, saying: “All eyes must remain on Gaza, where children are dying of starvation in their mothers’ arms, while their fathers and siblings are bombed into pieces while searching for food.“
She shared a post indicating the U.S. could be in violation of international laws that provide UN officials and experts “privileges and immunities”.
In an interview with The New York Times, she rejected Rubio’s claims of antisemitism.
UN response
The UN has condemned the sanctions on Albanese.
Top UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the move creates a “dangerous precedent”.
“The use of unilateral sanctions against Special Rapporteurs or any other UN expert or official is unacceptable,” Dujarric said.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk said the sanctions needed to be reversed immediately.
