RON WYDEN COMMITTEES: OREGON COMMITTEE ON FINANCE COMMITTEE ON BUDGET ON ENERGY NATURAL RESOURCES RANKING ON a?nitzd $tat?g Enatz SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE WASHINGTON, DC 20510?3703 JOINT COMMWEEON 221 SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510 (202) 224-5244 May 14, 2019 The Right Honorable Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada Of?ce of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario Dear Prime Minister Trudeau: I write regarding Enes Kanter, a Turkish national and professional basketball player for my hometown Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). I ask your government to facilitate Mr. Kanter?s safe passage to and from Canada should the Portland Trail Blazers play the Toronto Raptors in Toronto, Canada, in the upcoming NBA Finals. I also urge your government to state publicly that it will not comply with any Interpol red notice meant to interfere with Mr. Kanter?s livelihood and to intimidate him and his family back in Turkey. Since being drafted into the NBA in 2011, Mr. Kanter has used his public platform to criticize Turkey?s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. President Erdogan responded by revoking Mr. Kanter?s passport in punishment and accusing him of supporting terrorists; he also shamelessly asked Interpol to issue a red notice, threatening Mr. Kanter?s freedom should he venture outside the United States. As a result, Mr. Kanter did not travel to Canada for an NBA game in March 2019. If the Portland Trail Blazers and the Toronto Raptors both reach the NBA ?nals, Mr. Kanter will again have to consider the security risks associated with work-related travel outside the US. As President Erdogan continues taking Turkey down a dark, authoritarian road, Mr. Kanter is hardly the only person to face persecution. But without his Turkish passport?and not yet able to qualify for an American passport?Mr. Kanter does ?nd himself in a particularly tenuous legal position resulting from being a public person using his bully pulpit to speak out against a dangerous bully. I have instructed my staff to work with our administration to ensure that Mr. Kanter could travel safely to Canada and return unimpeded in the event of a Portland-Toronto NBA series. I urge your government to ensure the same with respect to Mr. Kanter?s ability to enter Canada, play in Canada, and then return safely and expeditiously to the United States. I also urge you to state publicly that your government will ignore any red notice against Mr. Kanter. 911 NE 11TH AVENUE 405 EAST 8TH AVE SAC ANNEX BUILDING S. COURTHOUSE THE JAMISON BUILDING 707 13T1-IST.SE SUITE 630 SUITE 2020 105 FIR ST 310 WEST 6TH ST 131 NW HAWTHORNE AVE SUITE 285 PORTLAND, OR 97232 EUGENE, OR 97401 SUITE 201 ROOM 118 SUITE 107 SALEM, OR 97301 (503) 326?7525 (541) 43170229 LA GRANDE, OR 97850 MEDFORD, OR 97501 BEND, OR 97701 (503) 589?4555 (541) 962?7691 (541) 85875122 (541) 330?9142 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Doing so would send a strong message to President Erdogan and an},r other government that seeks to use international organizations to silence critics or settle political scores. With deep and abiding respect for the relationship and the close ties between our countries and our peoples, Sincerely, Ron Wyden United States Senator