A Canadian Citizen Arrested in Uzbekistan

A Canadian Citizen, who has been on a family visiting, arrested last week in Uzbekistan. His name is Huseyincan Celil with an ethnic background from East Turkistan that has been under exploitation and oppression by Chinese Government for years.

In 1997, He escaped from his own country to protect his freedom from any possible arrestment or accusation consequently; He lived concealed life in various Middle Asian Countries. Eventually, in 1998, Kyrgyz Police Officers arrested him by the request of Chinese authorities while he was spreading ideas in communities, mostly businesspersons and traders, and propagating against Chinese Regime about freedom of East Turkistan. They kept him in prison for nine months. Regardless, through the end of 1998, by the court order they had to release him without of any charges. During his imprisonment and after his discharge, the Chinese authorities had been pressuring over Kyrgyz Officials and Kyrgyz KGB (The intelligence and internal security agency) to deliver him to China. Above all Kyrgyz KGB Officials had taken advantage of this issue and tried to keep him arrested until they could benefit with high amount of currency even though they had no right to put into practice such conduct. Eventually with the help of some Middle Asian Businessman, he managed to escape from their intrigue then stayed some time in Uzbekistan where he also got married. Finally, with the frustration of living under pressure and pursuit he came to Turkey where he stayed for three years of during his applications of refuge to United Nations and Canada. At the end, he came to Canada with his family in 2001 as a refugee immigrant.

Presently, He has been arrested in Uzbekistan. According to Uzbek Officials, he has no record in Interpol as a criminal. Following, they have sent his fingerprints to Kyrgyzstan Officials to check their records about Huseyincan Celil. Most importantly, they may track and find his record back in 1998, where Kyrgyz Officers arrested him. Furthermore, with the consideration of the Shanghai Agreement between Kyrgyzstan and China, possible pressure and track down by Chinese authorities most likely will take place. The Chinese government is unjustly labeling our people as criminals accuses innocent people of political crimes and imprisons and tortures them; practices genocide; oppresses any free thought; putting people in guilty position set up, arrests and executes thousands of innocent men. Indeed, with all this consideration Huseyincan Celil is in unsafe and grave life-danger position. Both authorities Chinese and Uzbek may try to suite with any kind of criminal charge to keep him and finally deliver him to Chinese Officials, which means life imprisonment or execution.

Therefore, Canadian Embassy in Uzbekistan and Authorities in Canada must take this critical issue seriously and urgently and do whatever necessary immediately.

April 04, 2006