Six more Canadians imprisoned overseas

CTV News Channel: Detained Canadian returns home Amnesty International Canada Secretary General Alex Neve speaks about the behind-the-scenes diplomacy that led to Kevin Garratt's release.

Kevin Garratt was released from a Chinese prison and deported to Canada this week, offering some hope to other Canadians who are imprisoned abroad.

Homa Hoodfar – Iran

The 65-year-old Concordia University professor was imprisoned on June 6 after she travelled to her homeland to do research and visit family.

Local media have reported that she is accused of “fomenting a feminist soft revolution,” a charge her relatives in Canada call baseless.

Hoodfar has not been receiving medication she takes for a neurological disorder and she was recently hospitalized, according to her family.

Davud Hanci and Ilhan Erdem – Turkey

Hanci and Erdem were arrested in Turkey in the aftermath of the failed coup attempt on July 15.

Turkish news reports claim that Hanci, an Imam from Calgary, has ties to cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for the coup attempt.

Erdem was arrested in July at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Canada, according to a family friend.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he raised the men’s cases with Turkey at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China earlier this month.

Huseyin Celil – China

A member of China’s Uighur minority group, Celil came to Canada in 2000 as a refugee after his human rights work landed him in trouble with Chinese authorities.

When he travelled to Uzbekistan to visit family in 2006, Uzbek police sent him to China, where he was accused of being a member of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

Celil was forced to sign a confession and sentenced to life in prison, although his sentence was reduced in February to 20 years.

Amnesty International’s Alex Neve told CTV News Channel that Garratt’s release “seems to demonstrate some goodwill to Canada” so he’s hopeful that it will lead to Celil’s release.

Neil Bantleman – Indonesia

Trudeau also raised the case of Ontario teacher Neil Bantleman, who was detained on child abuse charges since July 2014. Supporters say there is no evidence to support the accusations.

A lower court acquitted Bantleman in August 2015 but the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court in February and he was sent back to prison for 11 more years.

His family is seeking a judicial review and may also seek a presidential pardon.

Tahmid Khan – Bangladesh

The University of Toronto global health student, who is a permanent resident but not a citizen, has been detained in Dhaka since a July 1 terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery.

Khan’s family said he had just arrived in Dhaka that day, where he was planning to visit his family before travelling to Nepal for a UNICEF internship.

Media reports have quoted hostages from the restaurant who said Khan was spared because he was Muslim, but that he may at one point have been forced by the attackers to hold a gun.

Khan was transferred from jail to prison in late August. His Canadian brother has said he may have been detained as a witness.

With files from The Canadian Press