Rima Hassan, a French Member of the European Parliament, was denied entry to Canada on March 29, 2026. She was scheduled to speak at two conferences in Montreal, but her travel authorization was initially approved and then revoked by Canadian authorities.
The denial was attributed to her failure to disclose a previous visa refusal to Israel and a prior criminal offense. Hassan had been denied entry to Israel in February 2025, which raised concerns regarding her eligibility for travel to Canada.
While complaints had been filed against her for glorifying terrorism, she was not convicted. This history has led to significant scrutiny of her statements regarding Hamas and the Palestinian cause.
B’nai Brith Canada and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs praised the decision to deny her entry, with B’nai Brith stating, “Canada is not a platform for those who justify terrorism, glorify violence, and deny Jewish history.” In contrast, Hassan claimed that the denial was influenced by pro-Israel lobbying organizations.
In response to the entry denial, Hassan confirmed she would deliver her conferences remotely, ensuring her voice would still be heard despite the setback.
La France Insoumise, her political party, condemned the decision as a restriction on freedom of expression, stating, “The revocation of her travel authorization is part of a worrying trend of restricting freedom of expression and movement of political representatives.” This sentiment was echoed by the Political Science Student Association of Concordia University, which expressed outrage over the ban.
Canadian authorities have not publicly detailed the specific reasons for the entry denial, leaving some aspects of the situation unclear. Details remain unconfirmed.
