Anxiety grows for jailed father

Anxiety grows for jailed father

Wife fears husband will be killed in China
By Marissa NelsonThe Hamilton Spectator(Apr 7, 2006)

A Burlington father of six, who helped lead Friday prayers at a Hamilton mosque, is now in jail in the central Asian republic of Uzbekistan, his pregnant wife worried he will be shipped to China and killed.
Huseyincan Celil, 37, was raised in eastern Turkistan -- the most westerly region of China invaded by that country more than 50 years ago.
There, Celil was a political dissident advocating for independence and democracy for the Uygur people. For that political involvement, his friends say he was sentenced to death in absentia.
Those same friends now fear he'll be returned to China by Uzbekistan and killed.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa would only confirm that a Canadian national is being held in an Uzbekistan jail. Kim Girtel said officials are in contact with the detainee's next of kin but couldn't provide details because of privacy legislation.
"We are providing consular service," she said.
Canada has an honorary consulate in Uzbekistan, but it falls under the jurisdiction of the Moscow embassy.
"Everything possible is being done to ensure the person's safety and a positive outcome," Girtel said. She wouldn't say whether anyone has seen Celil.
Celil, who lives near Brant Street and Plains Road East, went to Uzbekistan with his wife, Kamila, and three sons about two months ago to visit his wife's family. He also has three children he left behind in China.
Burhan Celik, a close friend of the family and a political science graduate student at Carleton University, said Celil was told by Canadian officials they couldn't help get the three Chinese children out of that country, but would recognize them if they were out of China.
Celik says part of the reason for the trip was to try to get his other three children out of China, which won't recognize his parental rights. But he was arrested when he went to renew his visitor's visa March 26 in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan.
Celik says his friend has lived an incredible life, enduring much to get to this country.
Celil reportedly ran away from China to save his life. He first fled to Kyrgyzstan, a part of the former Soviet Union.
"He passed through the mountains. It took between one and two months," Celik said. "He was running for his life."
Celil, in Kyrgyzstan illegally, was caught. While he was in prison, China asked for him to be returned. Celil was acquitted by a Kyrgyzstan court and was about to be released, but China pressured officials and he was held for nine months.
Celik isn't sure how he eventually got out -- whether he escaped, bribed the guards or was released -- but he did and fled to Uzbekistan, another part of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
From there, he and his wife fled to Turkey "on foot or sometimes by horse and cart," Celik said. "When you long to save your life, you'll do anything."
Celil sought asylum and was given status under the Geneva Convention. Canada recognized him and allowed Celil, his wife and young son to resettle as refugees in this country in 2001.
The couple has since had two more sons, with another child on the way. Celil, his wife, and their three children are all Canadian citizens.
The son they brought to Canada is severely handicapped and needs 24-hour care. Celil's wife was pregnant when they fled to Turkey, Celik said.
Celik, who has spoken to Celil's wife, said embassy staff met her and have scheduled another meeting today, but she hasn't seen her husband.
"No one has spoken to him," Celik said.
He fears Uzbekistan's government will give in to Chinese pressure to return Celil.
mnelson@thespec.com
905-526-2409