someone's hands are tied

US /ˈsʌm.wʌnz hændz ɑːr taɪd/
UK /ˈsʌm.wʌnz hændz ɑːr taɪd/
"someone's hands are tied" picture
1.

avere le mani legate, essere impossibilitato ad agire

to be unable to act freely or to help in a particular situation because of rules, laws, or other restrictions

:
I'd love to help you, but my hands are tied by company policy.
Mi piacerebbe aiutarti, ma le mie mani sono legate dalla politica aziendale.
The government claims its hands are tied by international agreements.
Il governo sostiene che le sue mani sono legate dagli accordi internazionali.