US federal judge blocks US sanctions against UN's Francesca Albanese

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked US sanctions against United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese, saying that the administration of Donald Trump likely violated her free-speech rights.

Albanese was sanctioned in July 2025 following her public criticism of Israel's war on Gaza and scathing report on 30 June in which she named over 60 companies, including major US technology firms like Google, Amazon and Microsoft, which she said were involved in "the transformation of Israel's economy of occupation to an economy of genocide".  

The report called for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and national judicial systems to pursue investigations and prosecute corporate executives and companies. It also called on United Nations member states to pursue sanctions and asset freezes.

In his court order on Wednesday, US District Judge Richard Leon said "protecting the freedom of speech is 'always' in the public interest," in an opinion accompanying the order as he granted a preliminary injunction against the sanctions.

Albanese’s husband, Massimiliano Cali, a senior economist for the World Bank in Tunisia, on behalf of himself, Albanese and their daughter, a US citizen, sued the Trump administration over sanctions it imposed on her.

The civil complaint argued that the Trump administration unreasonably seized Albanese's property without due process, violated sanctions laws, and effectively debanked her, making it nearly impossible for her to meet the needs of her daily life.

The judge found that Albanese’s residency outside the US does not undercut her protections under the First Amendment of the US Constitution and that the Trump administration sought to regulate her speech because of the "idea or message expressed.”

"Thanks to my daughter and my husband for stepping up to defend me, and everyone who has helped so far. Together we are One," Abanese said in a post on X. 

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.

— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) May 13, 2026

The decision comes as Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on 7 May awarded the Order of Civil Merit to the special rapporteur, in an apparent show of solidarity with the expert.

Sanchez also formally requested the European Commission to activate the EU’s Blocking Statute to shield the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations from US sanctions a day before.