Humanists International condemns the sanctions announced on July 9th 2025 by the United States[1] on the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese.[2] This is an unprecedented step, unlike any we have seen before on the part of the United States, intended to silence and attack human rights experts.
Humanists International has been active at the UN since its inception and we have consistently underlined the need for states to continue to protect the UN Human Rights Council and its mechanisms. Attacks against the UN and other multilateral institutions and their mechanisms, including Special Rapporteur Albanese, weaken our backstops against human rights abuses and democratic backsliding, including in the Middle East.
The months since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on October 7th 2023, which Humanists International condemns, have seen a rise in hatred based on religion or belief, especially against Jews and Muslims, and the international humanist community has watched with great concern. Against this backdrop, the right to freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression for countless individuals has been undermined for arbitrary and inconsistent reasons both within the region and beyond.
Within Gaza, great humanitarian suffering has been documented by NGOs, journalists, and the Special Rapporteur herself. Israel’s refusal to let in humanitarian aid, despite its stated intentions, and its military operations have added to the staggering death toll, as well as bringing about the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, and bringing the population to the precipice of famine.[3]
Humanists International calls on all parties in the Israel-Palestine conflict to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and international human rights law, in-line with the 2011 Oslo Declaration on Peace.[4] We call on all parties to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2735 (2024)[5] including the immediate release of hostages. We call for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Recognizing our limited role in humanitarian and conflict settings, we nonetheless release this statement in line with humanist values and principles, and we urge our members and the international community to work together towards this goal, through multilateral institutions or otherwise, to support a lasting peace in Israel and Palestine, and to support mechanisms of accountability for international crimes, including the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
[1] https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/07/sanctioning-lawfare-that-targets-u-s-and-israeli-persons/; https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/9/us-sanctions-un-expert-albanese-over-israel-criticism
[2] https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-palestine
[3] https://www.who.int/news/item/12-05-2025-people-in-gaza-starving–sick-and-dying-as-aid-blockade-continues
[4] https://humanists.international/2011/08/oslo-declaration-peace/
[5] https://docs.un.org/s/RES/2735(2024)
'Position Statement: Humanists International Condemns US Sanctions on UN Special Rapporteur, Calls for Ceasefire', Humanists International, Board of Directors, Online, 2025