Human Rights Activist Condemns US Sanctions Against UN Experts On Palestine

JAKARTA - Human rights defenders (HAM) rallied on Thursday to support a major UN expert on Palestinian rights after the United States brought down criticism of Israel.

Italian lawyer totaling Albanese serves as a special reporter for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, one of dozens of experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council consisting of 47 people to report certain global issues.

He has long criticized Israel's treatment of Palestine. This month, Albanese published reports accusing more than 60 companies, including several US companies, of supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank and military action in Gaza.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that Albanese would be included in the US sanctions list for work that has sparked what he calls an unauthorized prosecution against Israelis at the International Criminal Court.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Washington to change its course.

"Even in the face of fierce disputes, UN Member States must engage substantively and constructively, instead of using punitive action," he said.

Juerg Lauber, Switzerland's permanent representative for the United Nations, who now serves as president of the Human Rights Council, said he regretted the sanctions, and called on countries to refrain from any acts of intimidation or retaliation against experts at the agency.

Mariana Katzarova, who serves as a special reporter for human rights in Russia, said her concern was that other countries would follow in the footsteps of the US.

"This is totally unacceptable and opens the door for other governments to do the same," he told Reuters.

"This is an attack on the UN system as a whole. Member states must rise and condemn this," he continued.

Russia has rejected Katzarova's mandate and declined to allow her to enter the country, but has so far not publicly put her on the sanctions list.

Washington has imposed sanctions on officials at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Sanctions were given after the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Another court, the International Court of Justice, is listening to cases filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide.

Israel denies its troops have committed war crimes or genocide against Palestinians in the war in Gaza, which was sparked by attacks by Hamas-led fighters in October 2023.

"The United States is trying to dismantle norms and institutions that are the backs of survivors of serious violations," Liz Evenson, director of international justice at Human Rights Watch.

The former group's chairman, Kenneth Roth, called US sanctions an attempt to prevent prosecution of Israel's war crimes and genocide in Gaza.

The United States, once one of the most active members of the Human Rights Council, has withdrawn under President Donald Trump, on charges of anti-Israel bias.