10-year-old Calgary boy asks Santa to free friends' dad from Turkish prison

A Calgary mom is forwarding herson's heartbreaking letter to Santa along to Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they might have more sway than Saint Nick in fulfilling her child's request.

Ten-year-old Douglas Hsu's letter didn't focus on the gifts he wants for Christmas. Instead, he asked that the father of two of his friends be released from a Turkish prison.

He used to be classmates with Vedat and Cemil Hanci. The Hanci boys moved to Ontario in 2016, after their father, CalgaryImam Davud Hanci, was detained in Turkey.

He has since beensentenced to 15years in Turkish prisonon allegations he was connected toan attempted coup. Relatives say he was visiting his sick father at the time and was not involved.

The two families have stayed close, and when Douglas started drafting his letter to Santa, his mom Lindsay Connick said hehad only one thing on his mind and couldn't be swayed.

'I'd like him to free our friend'

"He just said 'mom, you know what, Santa's a super magical guy.' And he said 'since he's magical, you know what I'd like to ask for, for Christmas this year?'" Connick said. "And I said, 'what's that Douglas?' And he said 'I'd like him to free our friend Davud.' And I was just taken aback and didn't know how to respond right away."

Connick said she told him it was a big askand very noble.

10-year-old's Christmas wish is for friends' dad to be freed from Turkish prison

6 years ago

Duration 1:07

Douglas Hsu, 10, asked for his friend's dad, Davud Hanci, to be freed from a Turkish prison.

"Dear Santa, Thank you so much for caring for the world's families," Douglas wrote.

"This year, my friends' dad was sentenced to 15 years in jail after the two years he's been in this cold Turkish prison. I wondered if you could help me free him That's really all I want, I wouldn't like anything else."

Douglas said it made him sad that his friends weren't going to have their dad with them for the holidays.

"I feel kindasad that he's in there 'cause he wouldn't be with his family for Christmas, and then theirfamily wouldn't be together for a long time," he told CBC News.

Connick sent her son's letter to Freeland, Trudeau and local MP Len Webber, along with a letter of her own last week. She said she hasn't heard back yet.

"My initial response was this was a big ask and Santa's going to need some help,"Connicksaid.

It was so touching for me and I couldn't hold my tears, and we cried on the phone for a long time.- Rumeysa Hanci, DavudHanci's wife

She said she's hoping government officials take the 10-year-old's request to heart.

"One of the most important life lessons I feel we can all strive for is to be good to others," she said.

Connick called Davud's wife,Rumeysa, to tell her about Douglas' letter.

"When she told me about Douglas's letter to Santa, it was so touching for me and I couldn't hold my tears and we cried on the phone for a long time," Rumeysasaid.

"He has such a warm heart and he has compassion."

Rumeysa said it has been nearly 2 years since she and her sons have been separated from Davud.

"I try to be strong for my kids, you know, I am a mom," she said, her voice breaking.

"We miss him so much."

She said her husband isbeing held in solitary confinement. She asked her fellow Canadiansto think of him and put themselves in his shoes.

In July 2016, more than 75,000 people were arrested in Turkey in a crackdown following an attempted coup againstthe government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A state of emergency was instituted in the country thatended this July.

Hanci and many of those arrested were accused of having ties to Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric who was blamed for the attempted government overthrow. Family members have said Hancihas no connections to Gulen.

Before his arrest, he had been living with his wife and children in Calgary, workingas an imam for Correctional Service Canada and the Alberta correctional services.

'I try to keep my hope alive'

Rumeysa said she's allowed to talk to her husband on the phone for 10 minutes each week at midnightbecause of the time difference.

"I am losing my hope, of course nothing has changed. But I try to keep my hope alive," she said.

"I wish for the Canadian government to do something for him to be released."

Brendan Sutton, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, said consular officials are providing assistance to Hanci and his family and remain in contact with local authorities, but due to the Privacy Act further details cannot be released.

"We know how hard it is for family and friends when a Canadian is detained outside of the country," Sutton said.

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