Ierrogation of former UN rapporteur in Canada for investigating Israeli crimes in Gaza
A former United Nations special rapporteur investigating the human rights violations of Palestinians by the Israeli regime was questioned during his visit to Canada.
According to RCO News Agency, Richard Falk, an iernational law expert from the United States, said that a few days ago, when he traveled to Canada to participate in an eve related to Gaza, he was questioned by Canadian authorities for “national security” reasons.
Talking to Al Jazeera, he noted that he was ierrogated at Toroo’s Pearson Iernational Airport along with his wife, Hilal Elwer, who is a legal researcher.
Falk, 95, explained in this ierview, which took place on Saturday in Ottawa, the capital of Canada: A security officer came and said, “We have detained both of you because we are concerned that you are a threat to the national security of Canada.” This was my first experience of this kind – so far – in my life.
Falk and Allor, who are both American citizens, had traveled to Ottawa to participate in the “Special Court for Palestine on Canada’s Responsibility” when they were detained for questioning.
According to Al Jazeera, the court brought together iernational human rights and iernational law experts on Friday and Saturday to examine the Canadian governme’s role in Israel’s two-year bombardme of the Gaza Strip, a war that UN investigations and numerous human rights groups have described as genocide.
Falk said she and her husband were held for questioning for more than four hours, and were asked about their work in relation to Israel and Gaza, and about genocide issues in general. “There was nothing particularly aggressive about his ierrogation,” he added. “It seemed to be some kind of disorder.”
Although there was nothing particularly offensive about the ierrogation, it is part of a global push to punish those who try to tell the truth about what is happening in the world, including in Gaza, he stressed.
Asked about what happened to Falk and his wife, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which manages the coury’s border crossings, told Al Jazeera that it could not comme on specific cases due to privacy regulations.
Like other Western couries, Canada has come under increasing pressure to end its long-standing support for the Zionist regime, as its airstrikes on Gaza, which began in October 2023, have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, displaced its two million population, and plunged the besieged enclave io a humanitarian crisis.
Ottawa announced in 2024 that it would suspend arms licenses to its West Asian ally as pressure moued on the war, but researchers and human rights advocates say loopholes in Canada’s arms export system have mea that Canadian-made weapons coinue to reach Israel, often via the United States.
Human rights groups have also called on the Canadian governme to do more to support efforts to ensure Israel is held accouable for crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, including war crimes.
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