The UN warned Thursday that Washington was setting a “dangerous precedent” by imposing sanctions on a UN expert for criticizing US policy on Gaza and called for the cancellation of the action.
United Nations rights chief Volker Turk also called for a halt to “attacks and threats” against people appointed by the UN and international institutions like the International Criminal Court, whose judges have also been hit with US sanctions.
“I urge the prompt reversal of US sanctions against a special rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council, Francesca Albanese, in response to work she has undertaken under the mandate on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory,” Turk said in a statement.
UN chief Antonio Guterres‘ spokesman, meanwhile, insisted that “the imposition of sanctions on special rapporteurs is a dangerous precedent.”
The use of unilateral sanctions against any UN expert or official “is unacceptable,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday announced that Washington was sanctioning the outspoken Albanese “for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt (ICC) action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.”
Albanese said the sanctions were “calculated to weaken my mission.”
“I will continue to do what I have to do,” she told reporters during a visit to Slovenia.
No details have been given on the nature of the sanctions.