A group of prominent Italian artists, actors and intellectuals have called on their country’s leaders to defend the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, who was recently placed under US sanctions over her stance on Israel and Palestine, TRT Global reports.

In an open letter addressed to President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, nearly 80 signatories demanded that the government take a stand in support of Albanese, who is an Italian citizen.

The letter was initiated by Tlon, a cultural dissemination project. It called for the immediate lifting of the sanctions imposed by the US and urged the Italian authorities to protect Albanese, who they say is being punished “for fulfilling her UN mandate.”