Independent UN body condemns 'vicious attacks' on UN expert on Palestinian rights
In the past week, several European countries, including Germany, France and Italy, called for Albanese's resignation over her alleged criticism of Israel. PHOTO: REUTERS
An independent United Nations body on Tuesday condemned what it described as "vicious attacks" based on disinformation by several European ministers against the organisation's special rapporteur on Palestinian rights, Francesca Albanese.
In the past week, several European countries, including Germany, France and Italy, called for Albanese's resignation over her alleged criticism of Israel. Albanese, an Italian lawyer, denies making the remarks.
On Friday, the Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Petr Macinka quoted Albanese on X as having called Israel a "common enemy of humanity" and also called for her resignation.
BREAKING: Czech Republic calls on Francesca Albanese to resign, joins France, Germany, Italy, Austria.
🇨🇿 Foreign Minister Petr Macinka: “Patience has its limits. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese should resign from her position. Her latest statements, in which she… pic.twitter.com/2ko9oIk8g3However, a transcript of remarks she made in Doha on February 7, seen by Reuters, did not characterise Israel in that way, although she has consistently criticised the country over the Gaza conflict.
The UN Coordination Committee — a body of six independent experts that coordinates and facilitates the work of special rapporteurs — accused European ministers of relying on "manufactured facts".
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"Instead of demanding Ms Albanese's resignation for performing her mandate, these government representatives should join forces to hold accountable, including before the International Criminal Court, leaders and officials accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza," the committee said.
1/5 For 2+yrs pro🇮🇱 lobbyists have orchestrated a defamation campaign against me including by chopping my statements/decontextualizing my words so as to project me as someone who: justifies Oct 7 atrocities, denies crimes such as sexual violence, downplays the hostages'plight.
🧵 https://t.co/sQCYCGklveIt added that the pressure exerted on Albanese was part of an increasing trend of politically motivated and malicious attacks against independent human rights experts, UN officials and judges of international courts.
US President Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions on Albanese after she wrote letters to US companies accusing them of contributing to gross human rights violations by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank.
UN experts are commissioned by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to monitor and document specific human rights crises but operate independently of the organisation itself. There is no precedent for removing a special rapporteur during their term, although diplomats said states on the 47-member council could in theory propose a motion to do so.
However, diplomats said strong support for Palestinian rights within the body makes such a motion unlikely to pass.