7 episodes
Extradition: The Search for Huseyin Celil TVO
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- True Crime
In 2006, Canadian Huseyin Celil, a Uyghur refugee, travelled with his wife and children to Uzebekistan to visit family. What was supposed to be a family reunion ended when he was arrested under false pretenses and eventually delivered to China where he was sent to prison. 17-years later, his fate remains unknown and his family desperate for answers.
‘Extradition: The Search for Huseyin Celil,’ a six-part investigative series from TVO Today, reopens the diplomatic cold case. With China implementing harsher crackdowns on its Uyghur population, Huseyin was cut off from communicating from his family. No one knows how he’s doing or where he is. In the wake of the release of the Two Michaels in 2021, the series re-examines why Canada couldn’t do the same for Huseyin. It investigates whether the Canadian government has done all it can to release him, and takes matters into its own hands to get more information on Huseyin’s whereabouts today. Hosted by Yusuf Zine.
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Chapter I - Someone Named Guler Dilaver
17 years ago, Chinese authorities imprisoned a Canadian Uyghur refugee named Huseyin Celil on false charges of terrorism and murder. No one has heard from him since 2017. How can a Canadian disappear in China without recourse? Host Yusuf Zine finds a clue on Huseyin's last known location and asks how the Canadian government can be shut out of a citizen's trial abroad and why this consular case lost public attention.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Chapter II - Last Known Location
The elusive founder of the Xinjiang Victims Database gives more details on Huseyin Celil's whereabouts. A Google Earth satellite search offers a peek into what is inside northwestern China's "prison park." A former inmate recalls China's treatment of Uyghur prisoners. Finally, host Yusuf Zine considers a strategy that no one has attempted before to get updates on Huseyin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Chapter III - The Great Firewall of China
The team attempts their first calls to Xinjiang's main jail for political prisoners to ask about Huseyin Celil. But first, how would Ontario-based journalists prepare to contact a prison in China? What risks do Canadians face for calling Xinjiang for answers on political prisoners? A cybersecurity expert chats with host Yusuf Zine to weigh in on how to navigate online life anonymously.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Chapter IV - The Art of Diplomacy
The team goes back to the drawing board on how to best get information on Huseyin Celil. They turn to two high profile former Canadian politicians and an American self-described ,human rights salesman, for help. Meanwhile, Huseyin Celil's family still will not return host Yusuf Zine's calls and Yusuf takes stock of who this show really serves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Chapter V - Long Walk to Freedom
The team attempts to verify a stunning revelation from a 2021 report that listed Huseyin Celil as a prisoner who's been released. Was it possible that Huseyin is out of jail? If so, where would he go? Following this lead, the team uncovers more details about Huseyin's time in detention at the No. 1 prison. Plus, our translator returns to help make more phone calls to the prison staff - and they get even more heated.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Chapter VI - Dear Huseyin
The team investigates how "actively engaged" the Government of Canada is on the case of Huseyin Celil. Plus, the team makes their final round of calls to the Xinjiang No. 1 Prison in a last-ditch attempt to learn anything about Huseyin's location and well-being. This time, there's a new and surprising response from the jail. Finally, host Yusuf Zine reflects on the results of this search for Huseyin - and adds his own personal letter to the piles of correspondence trying to reach him.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.