PRESS RELEASE
International Munich Peace Conference condemns US sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese
Munich, July 14, 2025 – The International Munich Peace Conference strongly condemns the decision of the United States of America to impose sanctions against Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
This measure was taken against the background of her well-founded and courageous reports, in which she clearly exposes the imminent threat of genocide and the serious and systematic human rights violations committed by the Israeli occupying forces against the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip and in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
This decision by the USA sets a dangerous precedent. It is a direct and gross interference in the work of the United Nations system and a blatant violation of the principles of international law, in particular the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the four Geneva Conventions of 1949. The measure is also in clear violation of General Assembly Resolution 60/251 (2006) establishing the UN Human Rights Council, which enshrines the independence of the Council’s mechanisms, including the Special Rapporteurs, and their protection from political pressure or blackmail.
Ms. Albanese is not being sanctioned for misconduct, but precisely because of her consistent and professional work in accordance with international human rights standards. In her reports, she names extrajudicial killings, the threat of genocide, ethnic cleansing, settlements that violate international law, collective punishment through blockade policies and a system of apartheid, among other things. These crimes have been documented and confirmed by identical reports from international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry.
The US sanctions are part of a worrying trend of suppressing critical voices that publicize Israel’s serious violations of international law. Instead of confronting well-documented human rights violations, these measures aim to prevent them from being addressed. This is a direct attack on international accountability.
The United States is thus going against the international order to which it refers. While globally recognized Holocaust researchers, human rights organizations and UN bodies acknowledge the catastrophic reality in Gaza with more than 60,000 Palestinians killed, millions displaced and cities, schools, universities and hospitals largely destroyed, the US continues to support the perpetrator side militarily, politically and financially.
The International Munich Peace Conference declares its solidarity with Ms. Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur, and demands:
- The immediate withdrawal of US sanctions, as they contradict the basic principles of international law and UN independence.
- Protecting the Special Rapporteur and ensuring that she can carry out her mandate without pressure or reprisals in accordance with the UN Human Rights Council’s Code of Conduct for Special Procedures.
- A clear condemnation of US interference by the German government in order to preserve the independence and credibility of the international human rights system.
Press contact:
Maria R. Feckl
Project management International Munich Peace Conference
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✉️ office@friedenskonferenz.info
International Munich Peace Conference
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