In Defense of Justice: A Statement of Solidarity with UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese
The International Legal Coalition for Palestine (ILCP) stands in unwavering solidarity with United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, whose courageous and principled work has brought renewed international focus to the ongoing and systematic violations of Palestinian rights under Israeli occupation. Ms. Albanese has upheld the highest standards of international law in documenting grave human rights abuses, apartheid practices, and the structural violence inflicted on the Palestinian people. For this, she has been met not with reasoned legal rebuttal but with a coordinated campaign of defamation—spearheaded, in part, by elements associated with the Trump administration.
We firmly reject the tactics employed to silence, discredit, and delegitimize Ms. Albanese’s work. These attacks are not merely personal—they are political assaults on the very institutions of international law and accountability that were established in the wake of humanity’s darkest chapters. The Trump administration, through a well-documented pattern of undermining international human rights mechanisms, sought to erode the independence and authority of UN mandates and bodies tasked with protecting vulnerable populations. Francesca Albanese’s mandate—focused on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory—has long been a target of such hostility precisely because it exposes truths that are inconvenient to entrenched power.
The strategy has been familiar: false accusations of bias, disinformation campaigns, and character assassination. These methods aim not only to silence Ms. Albanese but to send a chilling message to all who dare speak up for Palestinian rights within the framework of international law. These tactics reflect the broader trend of shrinking civic space and silencing dissent, where truth-tellers are branded as threats and human rights defenders are vilified.
Let us be clear: Francesca Albanese’s reports are grounded in legal scholarship, rigorous documentation, and the lived reality of millions of Palestinians. Her most recent report to the UN Human Rights Council, which described the current situation in Gaza as exhibiting elements of genocide, drew upon extensive evidence, expert analysis, and international legal frameworks, including the Genocide Convention. Whether one agrees with every conclusion is immaterial; what is critical is that such findings are debated on their merits—not buried under smears.
We recognize these attacks for what they are: a diversion from accountability. They are a bid to shift the conversation away from Israel’s escalating violations and toward the demonization of those who call them out. They are part of a broader effort to erode international legal norms, delegitimize international institutions, and deny the Palestinian people the protections that international law affords.
We also recognize that this is not an isolated case. Ms. Albanese is part of a long line of human rights defenders—Palestinian, Israeli, and international—who have faced harassment for exposing injustice. The Trump administration’s open disdain for multilateralism and human rights created a hostile environment in which such attacks could flourish. That legacy continues to cast a shadow, as efforts to silence critical voices persist.
But we will not be silenced.
The International Legal Coalition for Palestine calls on the international community, especially legal professionals, human rights defenders, and policymakers, to defend the independence and integrity of UN mandates. We urge the UN to stand firmly behind its Special Rapporteurs, particularly those working in politically charged contexts, and to ensure that their mandates are protected from political interference.
We extend our deepest respect and support to Francesca Albanese. Her integrity, clarity, and courage are a beacon in a time of moral ambiguity. She reminds us that justice is not comfortable, and truth is not always convenient—but both are essential.
In solidarity with her mission, we reaffirm our collective commitment to justice for the Palestinian people, to the preservation of international law, and to the principle that no one is above accountability.