The U.S. Treasury Department reimposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur on Palestinian territories, just one week after removing her from the sanctions list. The move, announced Wednesday, reinstates restrictions on her U.S.-linked assets and bars Americans and U.S. entities from engaging in business with her.
Albanese was first sanctioned in July 2025 by the Trump administration, which accused her of encouraging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate U.S. and Israeli officials. A federal judge temporarily blocked the sanctions earlier this month, ruling that her actions were protected under the First Amendment. However, an appeals court later granted an administrative stay, allowing the Treasury to reinstate the penalties.
The sanctions stem from Albanese's efforts to prompt ICC investigations into alleged war crimes by U.S. and Israeli officials. The Trump administration claimed her actions amounted to political and economic warfare, while supporters argue the sanctions infringe on free speech and the independence of international institutions.