The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) denounces in the strongest terms the heinous designations imposed by the United States on three major Palestinian human rights organisations – Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) – all members of FIDH. At a time when Palestinians face an ongoing genocide, these measures seek to silence those documenting atrocities, fighting for justice and accountability. States must act in the strongest terms, including the EU, which needs to activate its Blocking Statute.
5 September 2025, Paris/The Hague. The new designations by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) target the financial lifelines of Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR. By freezing assets and criminalising transactions with them, the sanctions isolate the organisations, obstruct their ability to engage with partners, and stigmatise their legitimate work documenting grave violations, including before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
’This sanctioning of these Palestinian human rights organisations is shocking and deeply regrettable, particularly at a time when international human rights and multilateralism are being severely threatened by impunity and non-accountability. We call on all States, including EU member States, to protect the law. We call on states to support justice for the Palestinians,’ said Alice Mogwe, president of FIDH.
“Our members play a vital role in documenting violations, supporting victims, and advancing accountability under international law,” said Aïssa Rahmoune, Vice-President of FIDH. “Targeting them with sanctions is an assault not only on Palestinian civil society but on the foundations of justice itself. Such measures embolden impunity and stigmatise legitimate human rights work.”
Escalating attacks amid genocide, solidarity with human rights defenders
These designations come as Palestinian civil society plays a vital role in exposing crimes committed during what FIDH and many others have denounced as an ongoing genocide. Instead of supporting accountability efforts, the United States is punishing the very organisations that provide evidence and amplify the voices of victims. This measure exemplifies Israel and its allies’ broader attempt to erase the Palestinian people by silencing their defenders. This is part of a broader pattern: sanctions have already been imposed on another designated Palestinian civil society organisation, Addameer, on the ICC Prosecutor and his deputies, six ICC judges, and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. The goal is clear — to shield perpetrators and to criminalise those pursuing justice.
FIDH stands in full solidarity with its Palestinian members and all civil society actors working under extreme threat. These organisations deserve the world’s respect for their legitimate pursuit of accountability for atrocities, including genocide. Sanctions weaponised in this way have a chilling effect far beyond the targeted organisations. They endanger the survival of civil society, discourage international cooperation, and embolden perpetrators of atrocity crimes.
A call to states
“States must act urgently and in the strongest terms,” said Danya Chaikel, FIDH representative to the ICC. “As FIDH stressed when sanctions were previously imposed against ICC judges, governments cannot remain silent in the face of such blatant attacks. Today, they must stand with Palestinian human rights defenders and with all victims of atrocity crimes by rejecting these illegitimate sanctions and defending justice and accountability.”
As previously jointly called for by the Global Initiative Against Impunity, FIDH again urges:
– All 125 ICC States Parties to denounce the sanctions publicly and unequivocally, and reaffirm their commitment to the Rome Statute;
– The European Union to honour its unequivocal commitment to protect the ICC’s independence and President Ursula von der Leyen’s affirmation that "Europe will always stand for justice and the respect of international law" by issuing a public statement of condemnation, making this a central issue in ongoing negotiations with the United States, and immediately activating and expanding the EU Blocking Statute, to shield ICC officials and civil society supporting the Court from politically motivated attacks;
– Governments worldwide to coordinate a strong legal and diplomatic pushback, including reciprocal measures, refusal to enforce politically motivated sanctions, and support to Palestinian human rights organisations;
– The US Congress to oppose this dangerous distortion of sanctions law and restore support for international justice; and-*
– Civil society organisations, bar associations, and others to speak out urgently defending judicial independence, rejecting the misuse of sanctions to obstruct justice, and exposing their chilling effect on accountability efforts.
These sanctions are not only an attack on civil society, they are an attack on justice itself, at a moment when accountability for genocide and other atrocity crimes is most urgently needed.
