Swiss national Abdel Azziz Qaasim Illi (a.k.a . Abu Nusaybah, birth name Patric Jerome Illi), leading member of the ‘Islamischer Zentralrat Schweiz’ (IZRS) was barred from entering Canada where he wanted to attend the ‘Reviving the Islamic Spirit’ conference. Why wasn’t he allowed to travel to Toronto? Well, details are still sketchy, but it’s a safe bet that being a member of the fundamental islamic IZRS has something to do with it, along with the fact that some countries (USA, New Zealand) regard him as a hate preacher.

According to Swiss News, Illi was ‘surprised’ to find himself declared persona non grata in Canada. Furthermore, Illi feels that

not being allowed to travel to any North American destination [Illi is also barred from entering the USA] is a violation of the basic human right of freedom to travel

As with other interesting interpretations of human rights, Illi offers up a very peculiar view of what that human right means – a view that almost perfectly mirrors his interpretation of religious freedom: that he may go wherever he wants. But that is not what freedom to travel is about. Just like freedom of religion means that people have the right to refuse your religion, freedom to travel means that although you have the right to travel, it does not give you the automatic right to be welcome everywhere, nor the right to impose your presence upon others. Although you may depart whenever you like, your destination has the right to refuse you. You can travel – but only to destinations where people want you.

There is no human right to be welcome.

If you have overstayed your welcome before you arrive you may be doing something wrong.