Canada’s Footprint

At the ‘Briefing on the Current Situation in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’, MP Sameet Zuberi mentioned to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, Huseyin Celil’s 16-year-anniversary since he was arrested.

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Yonah Diamond from the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights mentioned to the Subcommittee on International Human Rights Huseyin Celil’s case and echoed the recommendation for the need of a  special envoy dedicated to bring back Huseyin Celil home. This recommendation has been demanded for more than a decade from supporters of and advocates for Huseyin Celil.

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A paper petition drawing the attention of the House of Commons to Huseyin Celil was been tabled by MP Garnett Genuis.

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During a press conference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not recognize Huseyin Celil’s name when asked why the government was unsuccessful in bringing him home.

Shortly after the United States dropped the extradition order on Meng Whanzou, both Michaels were freed by China. After more than 1000 days in detention, this ordeal between Canada and China ended in the transfer of both detainees.

Huseyin Celil remains detained in China for more than 5000 days.

Robert Oliphant (Member of Parliament, Don Valley West): I want to go first to consular affairs because it was raised in this issue and the difficulty that we have had with respect to China respecting dual citizenship – particularly Mr. Celil whose family we are in; I am personally in contact with regularly. Can you tell us what attempts are made by consular services in China upon the Canadian government to try to get access to Mr. Celil.

Marta Morgan (Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs at Global Affairs Canada): The issue of dual citizenship is a challenge for us in terms of consular cases in China, particularly if citizens are traveling on their Chinese documents. Our ability to access, to provide consular services is restricted. This has been the case with Mr. Celil and we continue to advocate for consular access to Mr. Celil as well as access for his family and this is something we do regularly with the government of China.

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*Fast-forward to 20:30:55*

Recommendation #10

The Subcommittee recommends that Global Affairs Canada use all the tools at its disposal to secure the release of Huseyin Celil, including but not limited to the appointment of a special envoy specifically tasked with seeking his release and return.

Read The Full Report Here

Q: Another Canadian, Hussein Celil, was arbitrarily detained, arrested, and sentenced to life. He is still in jail. Why is he not a top priority for you, and only the Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor?

Mr. Huseyincan Celil’s case remains important to the Government of Canada and continues to be raised at senior levels. We continue to call upon the Chinese government to give Canadian officials consular access in order to determine Mr. Celil’s well-being. To protect our efforts and the privacy of the individual concerned, we cannot release further details on this case.

MP Genuis is one of the most active and vocal Members of Parliament on China issues and has been highly critical of the Government’s strategy regarding China. In particular, he has questioned the suitability of Ambassador Dominic Barton’s role as Canada’s representative in China, noting the Ambassador’s praise for the Chinese response to the COVID-19 crisis and his apparent lack of knowledge of Huseyincan Celil’s consular situation.

Read The Full Document Here

Mr. Huseyincan Celil:

• Canada is deeply concerned by the detention of Mr. Huseyincan Celil and we continue to raise this case at senior levels.
• We continue to call upon the Chinese government to give Canadian officials consular access in order to determine Mr. Celil’s well-being.
• Due to provisions of the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed.

A spokesman for Global Affairs Canada said the government is “deeply concerned” about Celil’s ongoing detention. “We continue to raise our concerns with Chinese authorities,” Guillaume Berube said in an emailed statement. “We are deeply concerned by the human rights situation faced by Muslim Uyghurs and other minorities in China.”

“We are deeply concerned by the detention of Mr. Huseyincan Celil and we continue to raise this case at senior levels,” a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told Global News in a statement. 
“To protect our efforts and the privacy of the individual concerned, we cannot release further details on this case.”

A Canadian official who attended the meeting said that Mr. Harper spent only half of the session with Mr. Wen discussing trade-related issues. The other half, the official said, broached China’s human-rights record and the case of Husseyin Celil, a Canadian of Uyghur descent who was arrested while travelling in Uzbekistan six years ago and deported to China where he was wanted on charges of “terrorism.” Despite his dual Chinese and Canadian citizenship, Canadian consular officials have never been granted access to him.

A federal minister [Human Resources and Social Development Minister Monte Solberg] 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.

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today responded to the decision to reject the appeal of the Chinese court sentence against Huseyincan Celil, the Canadian citizen who has been detained in China since his extradition from Uzbekistan in June 2006.

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“It is with deep disappointment that we learn that Mr. Celil has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Chinese court. Chinese authorities have persistently refused to respond adequately to our concerns with respect to due process for this Canadian citizen. 

Read The Full News Release Here

In China, Minister MacKay’s program will include discussions with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. This bilateral visit will serve as a further occasion to discuss a number of issues of importance to Canada, including the consular case of Huseyincan Celil, and to set priorities for productive cooperation between Canada and China.