The picture circulating in the Turkish media shows a man purported to be Davud Hanci with Fethullah Gulen (left), and a family photo showing Hanci (right). We see on the left, a elderly man dressed in a white skull cap. To his left sits a younger man, dressed likewise. The younger man has a dark moustache, but it is extremely difficult to determine if it is the same man shown in the family photo on the right.

The picture circulating in the Turkish media shows a man purported to be Davud Hanci with Fethullah Gulen (left), and a family photo showing Hanci (right).
Photo Credit: CBC/YouTube/Submitted

Ambassador summoned to explain Calgary man’s arrest

Canada has summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Ottawa to explain why Calgary resident Davud Hanci was among thousands arrested in the wake of the failed July 15 coup to overthrow the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Hanci is a dual Canadian-Turkish citizen who works as an iman for Correctional Service Canada and Alberta Correctional Services.

A source familiar with the meeting told The Canadian Press that officials want Turkish Ambassador Selcuk Unal to explain why Hanci was arrested.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said Ottawa also wants to reiterate Canada’s concerns about recent events in the country, including a three-month state of emergency.

According to The Canadian Press, the source could not say whether Canadian officials have been able to meet with Hanci in Turkey.

Friends and relatives say Hanci went to Turkey to visit his ailing father on July 7 and to holiday with his wife, Rumeysa, and their two sons.

Rumeysa Hanci was allowed to see her husband on Monday, but the visit lasted less than a minute.

Her brother Selman Durmus, who lives in Toronto, says all she could ask is ‘How are you?”

According to Durmus, Hanci replied hewas “doing all right,” but was “stressed out.”

A picture circulating in the Turkish media shows a man alleged to be Hanci apparently handing out money with U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkish authorities say was behind the failed coup–a charge Gulen denies.

Friends say the man in the photo is not Hanci.

CBC News has been unable to verify the identity of the man in the photo.

Global Affairs Canada, citing privacy laws, has said only that consular officials in Ankara are in contact with their Turkish counterparts and stand ready to provide assistance.

With files from CP and CBC.

Categories: International, Politics, Society
Tags:

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.