US revokes Francesca Albanese sanctions

The United States has removed Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, from its sanctions list after a federal judge temporarily blocked the measures. Treasury records showed Albanese was removed from the sanctions list on May 20, one week after U.S. (usnews.com) District Judge Richard Leon ruled that the Trump administration had likely violated her free-speech rights. The move reversed sanctions imposed in July 2025 under an executive order targeting people deemed to be supporting International Criminal Court actions against U.S. and allied personnel. (politico.com) Then-Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the time that Albanese was being sanctioned for what the administration called “lawfare” aimed at U.S. and Israeli persons. (straitstimes.com) The State Department said on May 21 that the delisting did not amount to a change in policy. A department spokesperson said the removal was temporary, according to Reuters, while the administration continues to defend its broader authority to sanction people it says support illegitimate ICC action. (usnews.com) ### Why was Albanese sanctioned in the first place? July 2025 was when Washington formally designated Albanese under Executive Order 14203, the administration’s sanctions framework tied to ICC-related investigations. The State Department said she had worked to prompt the court to take action against U.S. and Israeli nationals. (state.gov) Francesca Albanese is an Italian lawyer who serves as the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories. Her criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, and her support for international legal scrutiny, made her a target of the administration’s ICC sanctions program. (straitstimes.com) ### What changed in court last week? May 13 was the key date in the reversal. Judge Leon temporarily blocked enforcement of the sanctions after finding that Albanese was likely to succeed on her claim that the measures punished protected speech. (state.gov) Richard Leon wrote that “Albanese has done nothing more than speak,” according to Politico’s account of the ruling. Reuters reported that the judge found the administration likely violated her free-speech rights by imposing sanctions after she criticized Israel’s war in Gaza. ### What did the Treasury action actually do? (usnews.com) The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control removed Albanese from the Specially Designated Nationals list, the U.S. blacklist that can cut designees off from the American financial system and bar dealings with U.S. persons. Treasury’s sanctions list service reflected the change on May 20. (usnews.com) The practical effect was to lift the restrictions that had blocked transactions involving Albanese under U.S. jurisdiction. Several reports said the sanctions had disrupted access to financial services and travel arrangements tied to the United States. (politico.com) ### Is Washington saying it has changed course on Gaza-related legal pressure? May 21 is when the administration said no. The State Department said Albanese’s removal from the list was temporary and “does not reflect a policy change,” according to Reuters. That leaves the legal ruling and the policy position on separate tracks. The administration has not withdrawn its criticism of ICC efforts involving Israel and the United States, and its July 2025 statement said Washington would continue to act against what it called ICC overreach. (home.treasury.gov) (jpost.com) ### What happens next? The next step is in federal court in Washington, where the challenge to the sanctions order is still being litigated after Leon’s temporary injunction. The administration can continue defending the executive order even while Albanese remains off the list. (straitstimes.com) The Treasury Department’s sanctions database and future court filings will show whether the delisting becomes permanent or whether the government seeks to restore the designation after further proceedings. (home.treasury.gov) (usnews.com) (state.gov)