(MENAFN) When former UN special rapporteur Richard Falk was stopped for questioning upon landing in Toronto, the 95-year-old was informed that officials wanted to ensure he did not pose Canada a "security threat."

Falk and his spouse, fellow legal expert Hilal Elver, were on their way to Ottawa to participate in the Palestine Tribunal on Canadian Responsibility, a forum addressing Palestinian rights and the involvement of Canadian institutions in Israeli violations.

While both have traveled to Canada numerous times, this marked the first occasion they were detained over what authorities labeled security concerns.

The couple now believes the encounter was more than routine screening and may reflect a wider attempt to intimidate advocates of Palestinian rights.

According to Falk and Elver, they were subjected to a rotating lineup of officers, repeated questioning, and lengthy delays at Toronto Pearson Airport.

“We said we were attending a conference about the Palestinian situation, and the responsibility of the Canadian government in relation to international law,” Elver told a news agency.

“We were very cooperative. Any question that they asked, we answered because we wanted to get out as soon as possible. But it didn't work that way.”

Elver, who has also served as UN special rapporteur on the right to food, added that officials questioned them about whether they were receiving payment, who funded their travel, how often they had visited Canada, and other alleged affiliations.

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