The National Association of the Human Rights Defenders in Palestine strongly condemns and deeply denounces the United States’ decision to impose sanctions on Dr. Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, for her courageous and professionally grounded reporting that exposed the grave violations and crimes committed against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

This decision constitutes a dangerous assault on the independence of the United Nations system and a blatant attempt to intimidate international experts and deter them from fulfilling their duty to expose the truth and hold perpetrators accountable. It also sets a dangerous precedent that threatens to silence independent voices that challenge violations of international law and human rights.

We emphasize that Dr. Albanese has carried out her mandate in full accordance with her UN appointment, with utmost professionalism, independence, and moral integrity. Rather than respecting her work, the U.S. administration chose to use sanctions as a political weapon against a UN mandate-holder who refuses to be silenced or politicized.

Accordingly, we affirm the following:

1. We categorically reject the U.S. sanctions and consider them a blatant violation of the principle of independence of international bodies.

2. We call on the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to take urgent action to protect their experts from political interference or threats.

3. We urge all international human rights organizations to condemn these sanctions and pressure the United States to immediately revoke them.

4. We express our full solidarity with Dr. Francesca Albanese and call on her to continue her vital work without hesitation. She remains a voice for justice in a time of silence and complicity.

5. We call upon governments and states around the world to issue clear and unequivocal statements condemning the U.S. threats and punitive measures against UN experts, as such actions constitute a direct threat to the international system of accountability and justice.

These sanctions will not silence the truth — they will only further expose the system of impunity that has long shielded Israeli war criminals from justice.

Glory to all human rights defenders.
Freedom for the Palestinian people.

Issued by:The National Association of the Human Rights Defenders in Palestine
Hebron – Palestine