Albanese has said the sanctions have been devastating, barring her from work opportunities and everyday financial transactions.<\/p>\n
Cali and Albanese own a home in Washington, DC. Their daughter was born in the US, and the family is \u201cpart of the national community,\u201d says the lawsuit, which was filed in a federal court in Washington, DC.<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n The lawsuit claims the sanctions are a violation of First Amendment free speech protections; bar the family from accessing its home in an unreasonable seizure under the Fourth Amendment; and violate Fifth Amendment due process rights.<\/p>\n Albanese and Cali are not US citizens, but the lawsuit argues that their daughter, who is a citizen, can file the claims.<\/p>\n Albanese is barred from bringing the claims in her own name by UN policy.<\/p>\n The family lived in the US from 2012 until 2015.<\/p>\n The lawsuit asks the court to rule that the sanctions are unconstitutional.<\/p>\n \t A State Department spokesperson said the lawsuit was baseless. \u201cThe United States will continue to condemn and oppose her biased and malicious activities, which have long made her unfit for her role,\u201d the spokesperson said, calling Albanese \u201ca disgrace.<\/p>\n Albanese, in her role as an independent investigator for the UN, is supposed to act as an objective observer, but is accused of functioning more as an anti-Israel activist. She has parlayed her position into celebrity status, speaking at conferences and in the media, featuring in a documentary film, publishing popular books and garnering more than 1 million followers on social media.<\/p>\n \u2018Toxic\u2019<\/p>\n Speaking Thursday with reporters, Albanese denounced what she described as \u201ctoxic\u201d attacks impacting her personal life and work, after a number of European states called for her resignation.<\/p>\n In recent weeks, Germany, France, Italy and others have called for Albanese to step down over her criticism of Israel. Albanese claims the remarks were taken out of context and misconstrued.<\/p>\n \u201cI can tell you how toxic and personally damaging for me and for my family these past days, weeks and months have been,\u201d she said via video link from Jordan.<\/p>\n A letter seen by Reuters, sent by the permanent mission of Israel in Geneva to the Council\u2019s president on February 15, stated that she had flagrantly violated the UN\u2019s code of conduct.<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as she holds a UN mandate, she fundamentally undermines the credibility and moral authority of the United Nations,\u201d the letter stated, adding that Albanese had repeatedly shared antisemitic tropes \u2014 allegations that she previously denied.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, the ambassador to the French mission to the UN in Geneva reiterated concerns by the French foreign minister of \u201cextremely problematic statements\u201d by a United Nations special rapporteur in an apparent reference to Albanese, without mentioning her by name.<\/p>\n \u201cAll those who speak under the auspices of the United Nations, including Special Rapporteurs, must exercise the restraint, moderation, and discretion required by their mandate,\u201d C\u00e9line Jurgensen told delegates at the UN Human Rights Council.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AFP__20251128__86FR39Y__v1__HighRes__GeneralStrikeInGenoaItaly-e1772145791220-640x400.jpg\")
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\n\t\tItalian UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese (2ndL), Swedish anti-Israel Greta Thunberg (C) and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila (R) march during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, as part of the nationwide general strike, in Genoa, Italy, on November 28, 2025 (Piero CricoattiAFP)<\/p>\n
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