Francesca Albanese defies US sanctions: ‘Intimidation tactics, but they won’t stop me’

The UN rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian Territories denounces the Trump administration’s retaliation. In Parliament, a PD question asks the government to protect her. Boom in signatures for her Nobel nomination

The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian Territories, Italian Francesca Albanese, has described the sanctions imposed on her by the United States as ‘obscene’, considering them retaliation for her work denouncing ongoing violations in Gaza.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Albanese spoke openly of “mafia-style intimidation techniques” and reiterated that the sanctions will not hinder her commitment to justice and respect for international law. “They only work if those who suffer them are afraid. I have no intention of stopping,” she said, adding that she will continue her work “even if it will be a challenge”.

The Trump administration accuses her of collaborating with the International Criminal Court to initiate proceedings against US and Israeli officials and companies. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Albanese encouraged The Hague to take action against American and Israeli citizens.

Meanwhile, in Italy, the Democratic Party has submitted a parliamentary question — signed by Peppe Provenzano, Debora Serracchiani, Laura Boldrini and others — asking what measures the Italian government intends to take to protect the independence of international institutions and the rights of the UN rapporteur, an Italian citizen.

The text points out that Francesca Albanese, a lawyer specialising in international law, has been the UN rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories since 2022. Her official reports, approved by the UN, document systematic human rights violations in areas considered illegally occupied by Israel according to numerous UN resolutions.

An investigation published by Fanpage also revealed that since 5 July, the Israeli government has been promoting a Google campaign in Italy to discredit the rapporteur, accusing her of contacts with Hamas and violations of her mandate. In light of European legislation on combating disinformation (Digital Services Act), Democratic Party MPs are calling for government intervention.

Meanwhile, popular support is growing online: in just a few hours, over 15,000 signatures were collected on the mettilafirma.it platform in support of Francesca Albanese’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. The heavy traffic caused temporary slowdowns on the site, as reported by the press office of Alleanza Verdi Sinistra, the campaign’s promoter.

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