Global Affairs confirms another Canadian arrested in Turkey

Global Affairs Canada says a second Canadian citizen has been detained in Turkey.

Spokesman Francois Lasalle says Canadian consular officials are in contact with Turkish authorities and are providing consular assistance to the family.

Global Affairs would not release the name of the Canadian, citing privacy concerns.

However, the Anatolian Heritage Federation in Ottawa says in a release that the person arrested and detained at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul is Ilhan Erdem on what it calls “trumped up” allegations.

It cites Turkish media as reporting Erdem is accused of leading the Hizmet movement in Canada.

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The Hizmet movement, also known as the Gulen movement, is described as a global network based on the teachings of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a critic and former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The federation says, however, that Erdem’s beliefs are “simply aligned with those of Hizmet” and was arrested only because Erdogan “continues to target all detractors … including peaceful Hizmet participants.”  

Nurcan Topcuolgu, a family friend and a member of the federation, says no one has been able to contact Erdem or his wife since they tried to board a flight to Canada on Monday. She says Erdem, his wife and two children were planning a family vacation in Ottawa.

Topcuolgu says Erdem was working as an imam when he lived in Ottawa, but has been working as an education consultant in Turkey for the last three years. 

There was still no concrete word, meanwhile, on why a Calgary man being detained in Turkey has been arrested, amid media reports that he’s accused of being a coup plotter.

Davud Hanci, an imam who provides spiritual counselling to prisoners, is apparently being held on accusations he was involved in the July 15 coup attempt in Turkey.

Pictures that had circulated in Turkish media show a man purported to be Hanci with Gulen.

Hanci was allowed to see his wife on Monday, but the visit was too brief to glean much information.

Daniela Germano, The Canadian Press