A Thornhill resident is at the centre of an international controversy. Vahe “Cy” Tokmakjian, owner of the global transportation firm Tokmakjian Group, was detained in Cuba in September of 2011 and has been held in prison there without charge ever since.

Now Thornhill MP Peter Kent, who recently visited with Tokmakjian at La Condesa Prison, the medium-security facility where he is being held, is calling for Cuban authorities to either charge Tokmakjian or release him.

“He’s a 73-year-old businessman,” said Kent. “I, [the Ministry of] Foreign Affairs [and] his family certainly feel … he should either be charged, so he can have his day in court, or he should be released.”

The Tokmakjian Group currently has operations in many countries overseas, including Cuba, where they have been providing heavy mining and maintenance equipment for more than three decades.

Kent said that Cuban officials have been very unspecific when describing to him and Tokmakjian the offences he may have committed. “[The Cubans] have made general allegations of improper business practices,” said Kent. “They’ve never formalized any charges at all.”

For his part, said Kent, Tokmakjian has maintained his absolute innocence. “They’re trying to get him to admit wrongdoing of some sort, almost wrongdoing of any sort, and he refuses.”

A statement from Adria Minsky, director of communications for the office of the Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and Consular) from the Government of Canada, said that both governments are working together to assist Tokmakjian.

“Since learning of his arrest, consular officials in both Cuba and Canada have provided ongoing assistance to Mr. Tokmakjian, as well as his family. Ministers of this government have also met with senior Cuban officials to request a timely and transparent investigation.”