Madam Speaker, the next petition I am tabling highlights the situation of Mr. Huseyin Celil, a Canadian who continues to be detained in the People's Republic of China. The petitioners note that they are happy to see that Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were released after 1,000 days of unjust detention, but there are at least 115 Canadians still being detained in China, which includes Mr. Celil. He is a Uighur human rights activist and Canadian citizen who was taken from Uzbekistan and sent to China. The Chinese government has refused to recognize the obvious fact that he is a Canadian citizen and has denied him access to family, lawyers and any kind of consular services.
The petitioners want to see the government elevate this case. There has been relatively less engagement on this case than some other consular cases. They want the government to demand that the Chinese government recognize Mr. Celil's Canadian citizenship and provide him with consular and legal services in accordance with international law, to formally state that the release of Mr. Celil from Chinese detainment and his return to Canada are a priority of concern equal to the unjust detentions of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, to appoint a special envoy to work on securing his release and to seek the assistance of the Biden administration and other allies around the world in achieving his release.