THE US’ move to sanction Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, marks a chilling new low. By targeting a UN official, the US has sent a disturbing message to the world: even independent investigators are not safe if they dare to call out Israeli abuses. This is not simply an attack on one expert, it is quite clearly an attempt to intimidate all those who defend human rights globally. Albanese, an Italian academic and lawyer, has been an outspoken critic of Israeli conduct in Gaza. In her latest report, she claimed that Israel was engaged in a genocidal campaign and recommended arms embargoes and the severing of financial ties. While this unsurprisingly drew sharp criticism from Tel Aviv, Washington has reacted unexpectedly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s justification — that her work prompted “illegitimate prosecutions” of Israelis at the ICC — is absurd to say the least. As a special rapporteur, Albanese has no prosecutorial authority. Her job is to report on human rights violations, not to pass legal judgment or launch cases. By punishing her for doing just that, the US has crossed a line that until now was unthinkable.

The implications are grave. Sanctioning a UN rapporteur weakens the already shaky trust in global human rights institutions.It discourages engagement with human rights mechanisms and emboldens states accused of violations to dismiss scrutiny as politically motivated. More worryingly, it sets a precedent: today Albanese, tomorrow perhaps anyone who dares to speak out. Shockingly, she is the first UN official to be placed under US sanctions — a move that the UN and EU have criticised in strong terms. It also raises serious questions about Washington’s commitment to international norms and holding violators accountable. Human rights defenders across the world must rally in solidarity and reject this dangerous overreach. As Albanese herself noted, “there are no red lines anymore.”

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2025