US says it has not changed its stance on sanctioning Francesca Albanese

The Trump administration had sanctioned Francesca Albanese, a United Nations special rapporteur for Palestinian territory, after she criticized Israel and recommended International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Israeli officials. A court ruling forced the U.S. to remove her from a sanctions list. The Department of State stated that the removal reflected compliance with the court order rather than a change in policy, and the government appealed the order. The government said it intends to return Albanese to the Specially Designated Nationals list if the DC Circuit stays or overturns the ruling. Albanese’s family filed a civil complaint alleging the sanctions violated constitutional rights, including free speech, and caused loss of access to banking, housing, and related financial systems tied to the U.S.

"The United States has denied that the cancellation of sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur for the Palestinian territory, constitutes a change in the government's policy. On Thursday, the Department of State clarified that the administration of President Donald Trump only removed Albanese from a sanctions list due to a recent court ruling. The Government has appealed the court's order, the State Department added in its statement, before reaffirming its intention to return Albanese to the list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs)."

"In the event the DC Circuit stays or overturns that order, the Government intends to restore Ms Albanese's name to the SDN List. The Trump administration targeted Albanese with sanctions in July 2025, after she recommended that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Albanese, a human rights expert, has been outspoken in her criticism of Israeli policies towards Palestinians, and she has issued reports documenting Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza."

"In February, her family filed a civil complaint in a US federal court in Washington, DC, seeking to overturn the sanctions as a violation of Albanese's constitutional rights, including the right to free speech. The lawsuit noted that Albanese lost access to her bank account and apartment, as well as financial systems with ties to the US. 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"

Read at www.aljazeera.com