Renowned academic and former UN special rapporteur Richard Falk revealed that he and his wife were detained by customs officers in Toronto while en route to a conference addressing human rights violations against Palestinians. Falk, a retired professor from Princeton University and former special rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the status of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, was traveling to Ottawa to participate in the Palestine Tribunal on Canadian Responsibility.
The event, known as a “people’s tribunal,” aimed to scrutinize and document Canada’s involvement in the genocide and displacement of Palestinians, particularly in recent years in Gaza. Upon their arrival at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on his 95th birthday, Falk stated that border agents seized their passports and escorted them to an interview room, citing national security concerns.
During the interrogation, Falk and his wife were questioned about their roles in the conference, their stances on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and their views on Israel. After approximately four hours, they were eventually permitted entry into Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency declined to comment on the specific incident but emphasized that all travelers undergo secondary inspection upon entering the country.
Falk speculated that his detention was linked to his participation in the conference, where he planned to discuss the significance of international law in the Israel-Gaza conflict. Expressing disappointment, Falk criticized Canada for what he perceived as a lack of support for free speech and liberal democracy in light of the incident.
Azeezah Kanji, the chair of the Palestine Tribunal on Canadian Responsibility, expressed outrage upon learning of Falk’s detainment and mobilized efforts to secure his release. Senator Yuen Pau Woo, informed of the situation by the tribunal’s organizers, intervened by contacting the minister for public safety’s office. Woo condemned the treatment of Falk and his wife, emphasizing the significance of the event occurring on Falk’s 95th birthday.
For further details, you can refer to the original article [here](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/richard-falk-detained-cbsa-palestine-conference-9.6980514).
