Extradition fight

Extradition fight

Huseyincan Celil
Rights groups fear for Burlington man held in Uzbekistan
By Marissa NelsonThe Hamilton Spectator(Apr 8, 2006)
Human rights agencies across the world are now fighting for a Burlington father of six who is in a jail in Uzbekistan and who may face execution if he's extradited to China.
Huseyincan Celil, 37, went to the central Asian country about two months ago, with his wife, Kamila, and three sons. They went to visit his wife's family and to see if he could get his other three children out of China, where he had to leave them.
Celil was a political dissident in China, his friends say, and fled fearing for his life. They say he's now been sentenced to death in absentia in China.
Celil eventually made his way to Turkey and then Canada as a refugee. He is a Canadian citizen and holds no other passport. He was arrested in Uzbekistan on March 26 and his wife hasn't heard from him since.
Celil, who recently moved to Burlington, has many friends in Hamilton and is well known at the Ebu Bekir Islamic Centre on Parkdale Avenue North, a largely Turkish centre.
Now, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and media around the world have caught on to the story.
Alex Neve, secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada, said it is very worried about Celil, because human rights abuses in Uzbekistan are widespread and serious.
"There's no doubt he's in grave risk," Neve said. "He could quite quickly find himself on an airplane without any fair hearing or appeals process."
Kim Girtel, of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, said staff cannot release much information because of privacy legislation, but did confirm they were aware of one Canadian detainee.
Burhan Celik, a friend of Celil's in Ottawa, said the police in Uzbekistan have now blocked the phone where Celil's wife is staying, so no one can call out of the country. Shortly after a TV crew went through the home, police marched in to ask what information was given. Celik said Kamila Celil is desperate because she's heard extradition is imminent.
"We might just hear that China executed another dissident, when we think he's still in Uzbekistan," Celik said. "We are running out of time. We might already have run out of time."
Celil's wife has met with staff from Canada's embassy in Moscow and Human Rights Watch. She's also looking at hiring a lawyer in Uzbekistan, which is bordered by Afghanistan, China and several other former Soviet republics.
Hamilton lawyer Chris MacLeod is representing the family here, though he still hasn't spoken to Celil. He knew the family previously and said he's doing everything he can to ensure Canadian officials have what they need.
Salohiddin Sidikou, vice-consul for Uzbekistan in New York City, recognized Celil's name immediately, but said he had no information about him.
"We don't have any information a Canadian has been detained," he said.
Sidikou, who reluctantly gave his name, wouldn't say if China and Uzbekistan have extradition agreements, saying that information isn't given out over the phone.
"You could write a letter and ask for it, then we will see what kind of organization you are," he said.
Abdullah Bayat, who knows the Celil family from the Hamilton mosque, said everyone is praying for his safe return.
"We are all praying for him, and pray he comes home with the children from China."
Bayat said Celil was "like a little child" when he became a Canadian citizen. "It was the first time he'd felt like he belonged somewhere."
Michael Lynk, an assistant law professor at the University of Western Ontario, pointed to the massacre of hundreds of people in Uzbekistan last May, when police fired on protesters.
"Uzbekistan and China have a common interest in wanting to watch, monitor and suppress the Islamic population," Lynk said. "Uzbekistan wouldn't have a problem with extraditing Mr. Celil based on the relationship they've forged."
He explained Celil is part of a very small minority in China called the Uygur people. China is exceptionally sensitive about the Uygurs' desire for independence. Virtually all Uygurs are Sunni Muslims -- a religion China monitors closely.
John Colarusso, a McMaster University professor, said when the Soviet Union split up, China settled many border disputes by extracting an agreement that the bordering countries wouldn't aid Uygur separatists.
"This will be a test to see how faithful Uzbekistan is to that," he said. "This guy is really caught in a web."
At best, he said, Celil's chances are 50-50 if there's significant Canadian pressure.
mnelson@thespec.com 905-526-2409