Davud Hanci’s wife says Calgary imam detained in Turkey ‘a very peaceful man’

Rumeysa Hanci, wife of Calgary imam Davud Hanci who is imprisoned in Turkey, breaks down as she talks about her family's situation in Calgary. (Larry MacDougal/Canadian Press)
Rumeysa Hanci, wife of Calgary imam Davud Hanci who is imprisoned in Turkey, breaks down as she talks about her family's situation in Calgary. (Larry MacDougal/Canadian Press)


Date posted: August 19, 2016

LAUREN KRUGEL

Rumeysa Hanci breaks down in tears when she recounts how she spent her 13th wedding anniversary, travelling home to Calgary from Turkey and not knowing when she would see her husband, Davud, again.

She said Turkish authorities have not explained why they have imprisoned the imam, who has Canadian and Turkish citizenship.

Allegations in Turkish media that he was involved in last month’s coup attempt make no sense to Rumeysa.

“My husband is a very gentle and kind man,” she said, sitting at the dining room table of the family’s northwest Calgary house, photos spread out in front of her showing the couple beaming on their wedding day and Davud’s face sandwiched between those of his grinning sons.

“He’s not involved with any violence. He’s a very peaceful man.”

Davud’s job involves counselling prison inmates in Alberta to help them develop a “peaceful understanding of life,” Rumeysa said.

The couple and their sons — Cemil, 8, and Vedat, 9 — travelled to Turkey last month to see Davud’s ailing father in Trabzon, on the coast of the Black Sea.

They were visiting with an uncle on the night of July 23 when they got word authorities wanted to question Davud. He and his brother went to city hall to talk to police.

Turkey Coup Cda 20160817

A photo of a wedding photo of Rumeysa Hanci, right, and imam Davud Hanci, shown in Calgary. Imam Davud Hanci has been imprisoned in Turkey. (Larry MacDougal/Canadian Press)

Rumeysa, meanwhile, called her sister in Toronto, who contacted Global Affairs Canada.

Around 3 a.m. the next morning, police searched the home where the family was staying.

Rumeysa said she hasn’t been able to get an explanation from Turkish authorities about what her husband is accused of doing.

But Turkish news reports say Davud has ties to Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric who the Turkish government accuses of masterminding a July 15 coup attempt.

Gulen, a former ally turned critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has denied any involvement.

Mass arrests

Since a state of emergency was declared in the failed coup’s aftermath, some 35,000 people have been detained for questioning.

More than 17,000 of them have been formally arrested to face trial, including soldiers, police, judges and journalists.

On Wednesday, Turkey began conditionally releasing 38,000 inmates in an apparent move to make space in prisons for those arrested in connection with the failed coup.

Rumeysa saw her husband a few days after he was detained, but there was only time for him to tell her, through cell bars across the hall, that he was OK.

She said he looked tired.

A couple of days after that, he was allowed a phone call about two or three minutes long during which various family members had a turn on the line.

“My kids, they told him that they were missing him.”

That was the last time anyone in the family spoke to Davud, who Rumeysa said has since been moved to a prison some 800 kilometres away.

Embassy staff haven’t seen Davud

Some representatives from the Canadian embassy tried to meet with Davud in the days following his arrest, but were unsuccessful, Rumeysa said. He has not yet been able to meet with a lawyer.

Turkey Coup Cda 20160817

Rumeysa Hanci, wife of Calgary imam Davud Hanci, who is imprisoned in Turkey, talks about her family’s situation in Calgary. (Larry MacDougal/Canadian Press)

Rumeysa and the boys landed in Calgary last Tuesday. They are planning on staying with family in Toronto for a while.

In the meantime, she’s tying up loose ends in Calgary and trying to navigate life without her family’s sole breadwinner. Tasks like suspending Davud’s car insurance and cellphone payments in a bid to save money have been a struggle. She has been exhausted and physically ill since she got back.

The boys are having a tough time, too. Rumeysa said Davud goes out of his way to make time for bike rides and soccer games, even after long days driving to and from prisons around Alberta.

“They are, of course, very sad and they need their father.”

Global Affairs spokesman Austin Jean said the Canadian government remains concerned about Davud and another Turkish Canadian, Ilhan Erdem, who was arrested last month at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport.

“Canadian officials are in contact with local authorities and are providing consular assistance,” he said. “In the interests of the clients, further details cannot be released.”

Rumeysa said she’s hopeful.

“I have a lot of faith in the Canadian government. They can do their best in their power to bring my husband home safely,” she says.

“The only thing I want is my husband back.”

Source: CBC News , Aug 17, 2016


Related News

Scholarly views in the aftermath of the coup attempt: A responsible government would rather support the Hizmet Movement

When the Hizmet Movement or Hocaefendi are mentioned specifically by governmentally influenced press in Turkey, it harms Turkey. Yes, it harms Hocaefendi, but not nearly as much as it harms Turkey. Turkey is hurting itself today when it limits political discussion, when it maligns its political adversaries, when it uses political tools and economic tools to harm social services and educational institutions in Turkey.

Islamic scholar Gülen’s family criticizes PM’s offensive language

Kemal Gülen addressed allegations about the scholar’s financial situation, explaining that Fethullah Gülen resides at a facility that belongs to a foundation and for which he pays rent, rejecting the claim that the scholar owns the property.

Islamic scholar Gülen sues interior minister over coup accusation

“Making efforts to set people up against one another and stir hostility by expressing those words is a behavior morally unacceptable,” lawyer Nurullah Albayrak said.

Educational unions lash out against gov’t-backed school raids

As the witch hunt against government opponents continues to grow, a number of education union representatives have criticized the recent government-backed police raids on private schools and educational institutions that are sympathetic to the faith-based Gülen movement, popularly known as the Hizmet movement.

The businessman who sits on his cell phone to avoid wiretapping

A businessman summarized it like this: “In the past, it was very important in the business community to have a meeting with Fethullah Gülen. Those going to the United States would try to get an appointment; yet today, different meanings are being attributed to these meetings. Those who in the past made sure to have these meetings publicly are now praying they do not come to the surface.”

Tension at home hits Turkey’s brand overseas

ESİDEF President Mustafa Özkara said: “Top government officials, who during the Turkish Olympiads only six months ago called the Hizmet movement the ‘peace movement of the century,’ now define the same movement as a ‘parallel structure,’ a ‘gang,’ a ‘criminal organization’ and even Hashashins.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Deputies: Turkish Olympiads best response to voices against Hizmet

Turkish school leaves tight quarters for spacious former Wayne corporate building

Canadian rights advocate says Turkey’s post-coup crackdown amounts to genocide

Turkey’s post-coup crackdown moves overseas

Counterterrorism judge found to be PM’s strong supporter

Troubled Nigeria discusses Gülen’s ‘culture of coexistence’

D.C.-based law firm gathers intel on U.S. residents for Turkey – WSJ

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News