A French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament says she was denied entry into Canada only days before she was scheduled to participate in conferences in Montreal.
Rima Hassan wrote online that she was “prevented” from coming to Canada in what she described as an attempt at censorship.
The far-left La France Insoumise party said in a statement that Hassan’s electronic travel authorization was initially approved by Canadian authorities before being revoked on Friday.
The statement says Canadian authorities allege she failed to disclose a previous visa refusal or denial of entry as well as an alleged criminal offence, arrest, indictment or conviction.
The party believes the refusal stems from Hassan being previously denied entry to Israel, as well as complaints against her that they say are linked to her vocal pro-Palestinian stance and criticism of Israel.
Canada Border Services Agency has not yet responded to a request for comment.
The statement by Hassan’s party said she was expected to attend a conference on the suppression of pro-Palestinian voices and another on the rise of the far right. Hassan said she will still attend and deliver her remarks online.
“I was prevented from traveling to Canada: a troubling obstacle to parliamentary action and freedom of expression,” she wrote on X.
“Despite everything, I will hold my two conferences remotely on Monday and Tuesday evening, which will give me the opportunity to speak out against this attempt at censorship.”
NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice told The Canadian Press he found the sudden reversal by Canadian authorities to be “suspicious.”
“It seems they want to impose a political punishment on Rima Hassan for her very strong, very firm, and very clear positions on Palestinian issues, the question of the genocide in Gaza, and the question of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank,” he said in an interview late Saturday. “This is extremely suspicious, and we fear it is a political decision by Mark Carney’s Liberal government to prevent the visit of someone who might ‘stir up controversy.”
Boulerice noted there has been strong opposition to Hassan’s visit from groups including the Canadian Institute for Jewish and Israeli Affairs, or CIJA.
Québec Solidaire legislature member Andrés Fontecilla called on Ottawa to explain the reasons behind the decision.
“If Ms. Hassan was indeed barred from entering Canada because of her political views, this would pose a serious problem of censorship and raise real concerns for democratic debate and the free exchange of ideas,” he said in an email.
The Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith praised the Canadian authorities’ decision and said it had provided information to the CBSA.
“Thank you to @CanBorder for acting with such speed and determination,” The group wrote on X Saturday evening. “Canada is not a platform for those who justify terrorism, glorify violence, and deny Jewish history.”
CIJA also praised the decision to deny Hassan entry, but criticized the fact that the conferences would still take place.
