“Never underestimate the power of the written word.”

That’s a message the Niagara-on-the-Lake branch of Amnesty International believes in, and it is their hope that the written word can be used to correct social injustices, as they gathered at the community Center last Thursday to write letters on behalf of a Canadian citizen wrongfully imprisoned in China.

The letter-writing event began with an inspiring talk by Wilf Ruland, the Canadian coordinator in charge of the case of Huseyin Celil, a Burlington man who has been unfairly jailed in China since 2006.

Ruland describes Huseyin Celil’s story as one that “could be made into a movie.” Celil originally lived in Xinjiang, a province of China that has been continuously mistreated by the Chinese government. In the 1990s, he was imprisoned, beaten, and tortured for speaking out on behalf of his people, the Uighurs, a small minority ethnic group native to the region.

He fled the country, escaping through the mountains on foot and by hitchhiking, until he reached Turkey, where he was quickly granted refugee status by the United Nations.

He decided to come to Canada, along with his wife, originally from Uzbekistan, and their children. The family settled down in Burlington, and Celil became a Canadian citizen in 2005. His life was good.

In 2006, Celil returned to Uzbekistan to care for his failing mother-in-law. Unbeknownst to him, the Chinese authorities had issued a bounty for his arrest.

The Uzbek police detained and arrested him, and he was sent back to China, where he was given an unfair trial and a life sentence.

He has been held in solitary confinement since, is extremely malnourished, and has had very little contact with his wife and children here in Ontario.

Although the Chinese government charged Celil with “terrorism,” Amnesty International believes he is in fact being persecuted for human rights activism.

Thus, many Canadian branches, including the local NOTL one, are calling for a fair retrial or his immediate release from prison.

Ruland, who remains in close contact with Celil’s spouse and children in Burlington, expressed optimism for Celil, noting that Amnesty International has had success with similar cases in the past, though it requires dedication and perseverance.

Following Ruland’s talk about Huseyin Celil’s story, attendees wrote letters to important figures such as the head of the Chinese prison where Celil is being held, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, amongst others. The event also included a brainstorming session to think of other ways to help Huseyin Celil.

The local branch is holding an informal potluck dinner and get-together on June 17, and invites anyone interested in learning more about Huseyin Celil’s case, or any of the other causes Amnesty International is involved in.

For more information, please contact amnesty.international.group.137@gmail.com.