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A press conference held by One Free World International president Majed El Shaife (L) along with Sheng Xue president of Federation for Democratic China ask PM Justin Trudeau to question Chinese government about human rights and democracy movement on his upcoming trip to China. on Thursday August 25, 2016 in Toronto. Jack Boland/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
TORONTO - A week ahead of Justin Trudeau's first official visit to China as prime minister, several human rights advocates are pleading with him to address the issue of two Canadians still behind bars in China.
Uyghur rights activist Huseyin Celil has been imprisoned since 2006, and Christian aid worker Kevin Garratt was arrested around two years ago.
China Rights Network, a Toronto-based coalition, has written a letter to Trudeau urging him to "make it a major goal of your visit to bring these two men back to Canada."
"We are asking Mr. Trudeau to publicly and forcefully say 'Free our children' and let them come home, then we can talk about resetting a relationship," spokesman Michael Stainton said Thursday.
Trudeau's visit to China will run from Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, and will include stops in four cities.
"During his visit, the prime minister will seek to promote greater dialogue between Canada and China," according to his website. "The Canadian delegation will also work closely with Chinese leaders to bolster our shared prosperity and grow the Canadian middle class."
But Rev. Majed El Shafie, founder of human rights group One Free World International, insists Trudeau has to do more: "We have to talk about the human rights violations taking place in China, we have to talk about security of our citizens, security of our people."
Activist Sheng Xue, who moved to Canada after the Tiananmen Square Massacre, also spoke out about alleged ongoing harassment, targeting her online.
"When our prime minister is going to China to make close relationship with the Chinese dictatorship, we want to ask him do you have any way to protect your own people and to make them live in Canada as human beings, to have dignity and safety? Please, answer me," Xue said.
Celil was an imam in Hamilton and a father to four children, according to Mehmet Tohti, who spoke on behalf of the Uyghur community at the press conference.
"One of his children is handicapped," Tohti said. "They are suffering since ten and a half years."
Garratt's son Simeon recently told The Canadian Press that he hopes the case for his father, who was jailed on espionage charges, will somehow move forward following Trudeau's visit.
"But I really have no reason above and beyond (that) to think that something drastic is going to happen," he said in that interview.
Global Affairs spokesman Austin Jean said the cases of both men are "very important" and consular officials are providing them assistance.
"In the interests of the individuals, we are not sharing further details at this time," Jean said.
Promoting and protecting human rights is "integral" to Canadian foreign policy and a "high priority in our relationship with China."
"Canada takes every appropriate opportunity to express its concerns to the Chinese government using bilateral and multilateral channels," Jean said. "The Government of Canada will continue to call on the Government of China to respect the human rights of its citizens."
— With files from Canadian Press and Associated Press
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