An American federal appeals court has rejected an effort to keep sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese suspended, allowing the Trump administration to continue enforcing the measures while a legal challenge moves forward.
In an order issued on Monday, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the government's request to stay a lower court ruling that had blocked enforcement of sanctions imposed on Albanese under Executive Order 14203.
The decision represents a significant interim victory for the administration, which sanctioned Albanese in 2025 over her alleged bias and support for International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations involving Israeli and US nationals.
The underlying lawsuit was brought not by Albanese herself but by her husband, Massimiliano Calì, and their daughter, who is reportedly a US citizen. The family argued that the US-imposed sanctions harmed the entire family and violated Albanese’s free speech rights.
In May, a US district judge sided with the family, issuing an injunction that temporarily prevented the government from enforcing the sanctions.
The Trump administration quickly appealed, arguing that the district court had improperly interfered with the executive branch's authority to conduct foreign policy and impose sanctions.
Now, in the latest development, on Monday, a panel of judges of the DC Circuit concluded that the government had met the requirements for a stay pending appeal.
The appeals court did not rule on whether the sanctions are ultimately lawful. Instead, the order addressed only whether enforcement should remain blocked while the case is litigated.
The Trump administration has argued that Albanese, a prominent critic of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, actively supports efforts by the ICC to investigate and prosecute Israeli and US nationals. Because of her designation, it is forbidden for any US national or company to do business with her.
VICTORY: Francesca Albanese loses major battle as U.S. Court of Appeals denies her bid to suspend sanctions pending appeal. Sanctions to remain in force throughout the case. Two judges signaled her central First Amendment claim is unlikely to succeed. We submitted amicus brief. pic.twitter.com/frQY33MBjF
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) June 15, 2026
Welcoming the news, UN Watch Director Hillel Neuer said on X: “VICTORY: Francesca Albanese loses major battle as U.S. Court of Appeals denies her bid to suspend sanctions pending appeal. Sanctions to remain in force throughout the case.
"Two judges signalled her central First Amendment claim is unlikely to succeed. We submitted amicus brief.”
In March, the UK government joined France and Germany in expressing concern over Albanese’s conduct and called for a probe into a “series of comments” made by her.
In February, more than 40 peers in the House of Lords wrote to the government to ask for the UK to call for her resignation from the UN post following inflammatory comments she made at a meeting in Doha.
Albanese accused international governments of enabling a “genocide” and referred to a “common enemy of humanity” when speaking about Israel.
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