Kevin Garratt was and deported to Canada this week, offering some hope to other Canadians who are imprisoned abroad.
Homa Hoodfar 鈥� Iran
The 65-year-old Concordia University professor was imprisoned on June 6 after she travelled to her homeland to do research and visit family.
Local media have reported that she is accused of 鈥渇omenting a feminist soft revolution,鈥� a charge her relatives in Canada
Hoodfar has not been receiving medication she takes for a neurological disorder and she was according to her family.
Davud Hanci and Ilhan Erdem 鈥� Turkey
Hanci and Erdem were arrested in Turkey in the aftermath of the failed coup attempt on July 15.
Turkish news reports claim that Hanci, an Imam from Calgary, has ties to cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for the coup attempt.
Erdem was arrested in July at Istanbul鈥檚 Ataturk Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Canada, according to a family friend.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he with Turkey at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China earlier this month.
Huseyin Celil 鈥� China
A member of China鈥檚 Uighur minority group, Celil came to Canada in 2000 as a refugee after his human rights work landed him in trouble with Chinese authorities.
When he travelled to Uzbekistan to visit family in 2006, Uzbek police sent him to China, where he was accused of being a member of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.
Celil was forced to sign a confession and sentenced to life in prison, although his in February to 20 years.
Amnesty International鈥檚 Alex Neve told 麻豆传媒 Channel that Garratt鈥檚 release 鈥渟eems to demonstrate some goodwill to Canada鈥� so he鈥檚 hopeful that it will lead to Celil鈥檚 release.
Neil Bantleman 鈥� Indonesia
Trudeau also raised the case of Ontario teacher Neil Bantleman, who was on child abuse charges since July 2014. Supporters say there is no evidence to support the accusations.
A lower court acquitted Bantleman in August 2015 but the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court in February and he was sent back to prison for 11 more years.
His family is seeking a judicial review and may also seek a presidential pardon.
Tahmid Khan 鈥� Bangladesh
The University of Toronto global health student, who is a permanent resident but not a citizen, has been detained in Dhaka since a July 1 terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery.
Khan鈥檚 family said he had just arrived in Dhaka that day, where he was planning to visit his family before travelling to Nepal for a UNICEF internship.
Media reports have quoted hostages from the restaurant who said Khan was spared because he was Muslim, but that he may at one point have been forced by the attackers to hold a gun.
Khan was transferred from jail to prison in late August. His Canadian brother has said he
With files from The Canadian Press
