ALWAGHT- Richard A. Falk, ex-UN special rapporteur who probed Israeli abuses against Palestinians, reports being questioned by Canadian authorities en route to a Gaza-focused event.
Former UN Special Rapporteur Richard A. Falk, a 95-year-old international law expert known for investigating Israeli human rights abuses against Palestinians, says he and his wife were detained for hours by Canadian authorities upon arriving in Toronto. He was traveling to Canada to participate in an event focused on Israel’s war on Gaza. Falk says officials told him they were being held on “national security” grounds.
Falk describes the interrogation as disorganized and not overtly hostile, with questions centered on his work regarding genocide in Gaza and broader issues of international law. He said it was the first time in his life he had experienced such treatment and believes the lengthy questioning reflected a wider global effort to silence those who speak out about events in Gaza.
He was en route to Ottawa to join the Palestine Tribunal on Canadian Responsibility, a gathering of legal and human rights experts examining Canada’s role in Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths and injuries since October 2023.
