Case of Calgary imam accused of plotting failed coup in Turkey will remain in limbo

A Calgary imam who has spent more than seven months in a Turkish prison has court date scheduled for today. A photo of a wedding picture of Rumeysa Hanci, right, and imam Davud Hanci, is seen in Calgary on in an August 2016 file photo.  (LARRY MACDOUGAL / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
A Calgary imam who has spent more than seven months in a Turkish prison has court date scheduled for today. A photo of a wedding picture of Rumeysa Hanci, right, and imam Davud Hanci, is seen in Calgary on in an August 2016 file photo. (LARRY MACDOUGAL / THE CANADIAN PRESS)


Date posted: March 8, 2017

LAUREN KRUGEL

Davud Hanci’s court appearance has been delayed. He was expected to appear today before a judge by video conference on allegations he helped orchestrate Turkey’s failed coup attempt last summer.

The case of a Calgary imam who has spent more than seven months in a Turkish prison will remain in limbo for another two months.

Davud Hanci was expected to appear today before a judge by video conference on allegations he helped orchestrate last summer’s attempted coup.

But his sister-in-law, Ruveyda Durmus, says the case has been delayed until May 3 because of a secret witness.

His wife says an earlier court date for Hanci, who has Canadian and Turkish citizenship, had been set for Jan. 31 but was postponed because of lack of evidence.

Rumeysa Hanci says worrying about her husband since his arrest last July has been like torture for her and their two young sons.

She says her husband is a peaceful man and the allegations against him are ridiculous.

“I feel so extremely overwhelmed. It’s really difficult to fight,” she said after ushering the couple’s two young sons out of the room so they wouldn’t be upset by her talking about their father.

“My mind is so full of everything.”

She said her husband is being kept in solitary confinement and has not been allowed visits or phone calls with family, but he has been able to see his lawyer face-to-face.

“She says he’s trying to be strong,” said Rumeysa.

Relatives have said the couple and their two sons, who are eight and nine, were in Turkey last July visiting the imam’s ailing father in Trabzon on the coast of the Black Sea.

Shortly after, he was moved to a prison nearly 1,000 kilometres away in the province of Kocaeli east of Istanbul.

“The accusations are so ridiculous,” said Rumeysa. “I want Canadians to know a good man is staying there without any evidence.”

Turkish news reports have accused Davud Hanci of having ties to Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric whom the Turkish government accuses of masterminding the July 15 coup attempt.

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

Turkey has arrested tens of thousands in its investigation into the failed coup, and dismissed or suspended more than 100,000 people from government jobs.

Michael O’Shaughnessy of Global Affairs Canada called the case a priority, though he said privacy considerations prohibit him from discussing it in detail.

“We are actively engaged on this case, and doing everything we can to support the family,” he said. “Parliamentary Secretary Omar Alghabra has met with the individual’s family, and consular officials remain in regular contact.”

Rumeysa said the ordeal has been tough on their sons.

“They need him so much. So they keep asking questions like when he will be home,” she said.

“The boys are apart from their father and it’s hard to find answers to their questions anymore.”

“I want this torture to end as soon as possible,” she said. “I want him back home. I want him seeing my boys growing and taking care of them.”

Source: The Star , March 8, 2017


Related News

Turkey’s Erdoğan Regime Extends Post-Coup Witch Hunt Targeting Gülen Followers Abroad

Turkey, under the autocratic rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has stepped up its witch hunt against the alleged members of Gülen movement abroad, pro-Erdoğan English paper Daily Sabah reported. So far, 16 alleged Gülen followers have been abducted or caught abroad and transferred to Turkey from Asian, Middle Eastern countries and Bulgaria.

Documents expose plot to hold Hizmet responsible for KPSS cheating

The Zaman daily has published documents which reveal that a plot was devised to unjustly hold the members of the Hizmet Movement responsible for a cheating scandal at the State Personnel Examination (KPSS) in 2010.

Prep school owners write to Constitutional Court

The Constitutional Court will review a law that seeks to shut down preparatory schools that assist students in studying for the national high school and university admission exams after organizations representing private prep schools wrote to the court, asking to make statements about the problems that might arise due to the closure of these institutions.

Kanter: I was excluded from Turkey squad due to my beliefs

Turkish basketball player Enes Kanter, who has made no secret of his links to the Gülen movement — a civil society group also known as the Hizmet movement that is inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen — has stated that he has been excluded from Turkey’s basketball team for the 2015 European Basketball Championship due to his beliefs.

It is not fair to tar 1.8 billion for actions of a few

We, the undersigned members of the Auburn Ministerial Association, wish to disassociate ourselves from the remarks made by the Rev. Rudy Tidwell about Islam and Muslims in the Sept. 20 edition of The Auburn-Opelika News for these reasons: Any religion that demands its members to pray five times a day and to fast for an […]

Erdogan’s crackdown – Woman detained while showing newborn baby to jailed husband

S.Ö., whose husband was jailed a few weeks before she gave birth to a baby, was detained in Sakarya on March 8 when she went to Sakarya Prison to show him their newborn baby.

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

Aid delivery to Gaza continues under bombardments

Zaman University in Cambodia: a candle in the darkness

Water Well Constructed in Uganda in Memory of Slain Journalist

Under arrest for months, 62-year-old teacher dies of cancer in prison

In Houston, a celebration: Silk road festival

Fethullah Gulen calls on Muslims to help Hurricane Sandy victims

Erdoğan’s Henchman: Oppression Targeting Gülen Movement To Be More Severe After Zarrab Case

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News