Brussels - Saba:
The European Union expressed its "deep regret" on Friday over the US decision to place UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, on the sanctions list.
This was stated by European Commission spokesperson Anwar Al-Anoni, in response to a question about the US decision to impose sanctions on Albanese, during a press conference in Brussels.
Al-Anoni stressed that the European Union supports the UN human rights system.
He expressed his "deep regret" over the US decision to impose sanctions on Albanese.
Al-Anoni indicated that the European Union will continue to support efforts to conduct independent investigations into violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including those that may constitute international crimes.
In the same context, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said via the X platform that his country "will defend the independence of the UN Special Procedures" and oppose any attempt to "intimidate" UN officials, regardless of whether it agrees with their views.
Minister Prevot expressed his "deep regret" over the US decision to impose sanctions on Albanese.
On Wednesday, the US State Department announced that Albanese had been placed on the sanctions list due to her efforts to urge the International Criminal Court to take action against the United States and Israel for violating international law during the genocide in Gaza.