Watchdog organization U.N. Watch accused Francesca Albanese, the Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur, of taking payments from activist groups.
Albanese oversees the investigation of “Israel’s violations of the bases and principles of international law.”
According to a complaint, Albanese allegedly illegally requested “payments for work done in official capacity,” the complaint says. According to U.N. guidelines, one cannot accept payments from “any governmental or nongovernmental source” for “activities carried out in pursuit of his/her mandate.”
The actions are “gross violations of U.N. rules and professional ethics.”
Albanese has also made “disgraceful statements” against Israel that “promote antisemitism and terrorism,” the complaint notes.
Instead of considering the guidelines, Albanese “engaged in a practice by which she knowingly and unethically circumvents this prohibition, by requesting instead that, in exchange for her lectures, payments by external groups be made to her research assistant.”
Although the Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA) activist group reportedly sponsored Albanese’s travel to Australia, the special rapporteur claimed the trip was “paid by the UN as part of my mandate’s activities.”
The watchdog group requested an investigation into Albanese’s financial records related to possible code violations.
Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of U.N. Watch, said in a statement, “Francesca Albanese’s unethical financial practices are a gross violation of UN rules. The United Nations should take immediate action to investigate these allegations and hold her accountable.”
Following the complaint, Albanese blocked U.N. Watch on social media.
“That was quick: Francesca Albanese just blocked UN Watch after we exposed her illegal scheme of requesting money for performance of her UN activities via payments to her Amsterdam assistant, and after we filed suit for an investigation and disclosure of all her financial records,” Neuer wrote on X.
