US imposing sanctions on senior UN official focused on Palestinian human rights
CNN
The US is imposing sanctions against a senior UN official focused on the human rights of Palestinians, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday.
The US is imposing sanctions against a senior UN official focused on the human rights of Palestinians, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday. In a post on X, Rubio said he was imposing the sanctions against Francesca Albanese, who holds the title of UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, “for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt (International Criminal Court) action against U.S. and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.” The announcement is the latest effort by the US to punish those looking into alleged crimes committed by Israel as the war in Gaza continues. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February authorizing punitive measures against the ICC because of its “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Thursday urged “the prompt reversal of U.S. sanctions against” Albanese. “UN Special Rapporteurs, along with other parts of the human rights ecosystem, address – by their nature – sensitive and often divisive issues, that are of international concern,” he said in a statement. “Even in face of fierce disagreement, UN Member States should engage substantively and constructively, rather than resort to punitive measures,” Türk said.
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