(MENAFN) A former UN special rapporteur who investigated alleged Israeli violations against Palestinians said he and his wife were detained and questioned by Canadian authorities on “national security” grounds while traveling to Canada for a Gaza-focused event, according to reports.

US international law scholar Richard Falk told reporters that he and his wife, legal expert Hilal Elver, were stopped Thursday at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

“A security person came and said, ‘We’ve detained you both because we’re concerned that you pose a national security threat to Canada,’” Falk said. "It was my first experience of this sort – ever – in my life."

The couple, both US citizens, were en route to the Palestine Tribunal, a gathering of international experts examining Canada’s potential role in Israel’s actions in Gaza. They were held for over four hours and questioned about their work on Israel, Gaza, and broader issues related to genocide. Falk described the interrogation as “sort of random and disorganised” and not “particularly aggressive,” but suggested it may be part of a broader effort to “punish those who endeavour to tell the truth about what is happening” worldwide.

“It suggests a climate of governmental insecurity, I think, to try to clamp down on dissident voices,” Falk said.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) declined to comment on specific cases due to privacy rules. A spokesperson explained that primary and secondary inspections to assess security risks are routine and “should not be viewed as any indication of wrongdoing.”

Canadian Senator Yuen Pau Woo, a supporter of the Palestine Tribunal, condemned the questioning, stating he was “appalled” that the two experts were treated as a potential national security threat. “We know they were here to attend the Palestine Tribunal. We know they have been outspoken in documenting and publicising the horrors inflicted on Gaza by Israel, and advocating for justice,” he said.

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