March 27, 2006: Huseyin Celil, having recently received his Canadian citizenship, is arrested while visiting family in Uzbekistan
March 29: Canada finds out Mr. Celil is arrested in Uzbekistan.
April 13: A Canadian official, the Honorary Consul to Uzbekistan, meets with Mr. Celil for the first time. He would meet two more times with an official from the Canadian embassy in Moscow.
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June 22: The date Mr. Celil was most likely extradited to China.
June 26: Canada finds out Celil has been extradited to China, where he is wanted on charges of terrorism.
July 27: Peter MacKay, then the minister of foreign affairs, brings up Celil case with Chinese Foreign Minister at ASEAN summit.
Oct. 19: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper mentions the Celil case during an interview with the Canadian Chinese-language Sing Tao daily newspaper.
Jan 17, 2007: Canadian parliamentary delegation raises the Celil case with vice-chairman of National People’s Congress Foreign Affairs Committee
Feb. 2: Mr. Celil’s trial begins in Urumqi in northwest China. Canadian embassy officials miss the opening of the trial, angering the Canadian Prime Minister, who orders them to go.
Feb. 8: Canadian officials meet with Mr. Celil’s family, lawyer and court officials in Urumqi. Consular officials stay in Urumqi for the duration of the trial.
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April 19: Mr. Celil is sentenced to life in prison in China for terrorism offences and trying to split the country.
July 10: Mr. Celil’s appeal is dismissed in a 40-minute hearing.
May 22, 2008: The Globe publishes a letter written by Mr. Celil in prison, in which he asks his family to “pray for me.”
July 27: A federal minister orders Revenue Canada to reinstate benefits for Mr. Celil’s wife. The agency had cut the benefits after Mr. Celil’s wife was unable to obtain his signature on a form.
Feb 8, 2012: Mr. Harper raises the Celil case during a trip to China.
Written by: OMARL EL AKKAD
Original Link: theglobeandmail.com/news/world/timeline-the-celil-affair/article4171399/
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