Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, has denounced US sanctions against her as a politically motivated attempt to silence criticism of "Israel’s" ongoing genocide in Gaza. In response to the Trump administration’s announcement, Albanese posted on X: “The powerful punishing those who speak for the powerless, it is not a sign of strength, but of guilt.”

Truth cannot be suppressed by sanctions.#FrancescaAlbanese is bullied and sanctioned for telling the truth & for standing up against genocide, occupation and apartheid.

Meanwhile, #Netanyahu, a court-certified war criminal, gets a red carpet in D.C.

Your bare hypocrisy is on… https://t.co/KitjfHnChW

— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) July 11, 2025

The sanctions, announced Wednesday, are part of what observers describe as a broader crackdown on international voices condemning "Israel’s" 21-month-long genocide in Gaza, a campaign that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated civilian infrastructure, particularly the healthcare system.

Albanese: ‘All eyes must remain on Gaza’

Albanese, an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, has been among the most outspoken critics of the war, repeatedly describing "Israel’s" actions in Gaza as “genocide”; a term firmly rejected by both "Israel" and the US, which continues to supply Tel Aviv with military aid.

In two posts on Thursday, Albanese urged the international community to stay focused on the escalating crisis: “Let’s stand tall, together,” she wrote.

“All eyes must remain on Gaza, where children are dying of starvation in their mothers’ arms, while their fathers and siblings are bombed into pieces while searching for food.”

Iran condemns sanctions on Francesca Albanese, calls out ‘bare hypocrisy’

Iran has sharply condemned the United States for imposing sanctions on Albanese, accusing Washington of punishing those who speak out against “genocide, occupation, and apartheid” while offering diplomatic hospitality to individuals accused of war crimes.

In a statement posted on X, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei declared, “Truth cannot be suppressed by sanctions. #FrancescaAlbanese is bullied and sanctioned for telling the truth & for standing up against genocide, occupation, and apartheid.”

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Truth cannot be suppressed by sanctions.#FrancescaAlbanese is bullied and sanctioned for telling the truth & for standing up against genocide, occupation and apartheid.

Meanwhile, #Netanyahu, a court-certified war criminal, gets a red carpet in D.C.

Your bare hypocrisy is on… https://t.co/KitjfHnChW

— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) July 11, 2025

Baghaei drew a stark comparison between the treatment of Albanese and the political embrace of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, writing: “Meanwhile, #Netanyahu, a court-certified war criminal, gets a red carpet in D.C. Your bare hypocrisy is on full display and the world is watching.”

He ended the post with the hashtags #GazaGenocide and #USHypocrisy.

UN pushback against political retaliation

The United Nations has expressed concern over Washington’s decision. A spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the sanctions “set a dangerous precedent,” while clarifying that special rapporteurs like Albanese operate independently of the UN Secretary-General.

UN Human Rights Council President Jurg Lauber echoed those concerns, calling on all states to refrain from “any acts of intimidation or reprisal” against UN experts. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also condemned what he described as “attacks and threats” against UN officials and international legal bodies, including International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, who have also faced US sanctions in recent months.

Albanese has repeatedly urged the international community to take tangible action to stop "Israel’s" assault on Gaza, including through sanctions and legal accountability. She has voiced strong support for ICC efforts to indict senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for charges of war crimes.

Her latest report also named several US-based corporations as complicit in sustaining "Israel’s" military occupation and its ongoing attacks in Gaza.

Announcing the sanctions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on social media: “Albanese’s campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel will no longer be tolerated. We will always stand by our partners in their right to self-defence.”

Rubio claimed the decision was tied to Albanese’s support for “illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the ICC” and confirmed her addition to the US sanctions list.

Pattern of suppression against pro-Palestine voices

Albanese’s targeting is part of a growing pattern under the Trump administration, which has moved aggressively to suppress dissent related to "Israel’s" genocide in Gaza. Earlier this year, US authorities began arresting and deporting students and faculty involved in pro-Palestine activism on university campuses.

Last week, the US mission to the UN issued a sharply worded statement demanding Albanese’s removal, accusing her of “a years-long pattern of virulent antisemitism and unrelenting anti-Israel bias.” Her use of terms like “genocide” and “apartheid” was dismissed by US officials as “false and offensive.”

Despite mounting pressure, Albanese has stood by her findings and pledged to continue her mandate. For many observers, the sanctions reflect not failure, but the impact of her work.

Read more: US sanctions on Albanese shamefully undermine justice: Amnesty