CHRONOLOGY

January 8, 2007
Dylan Rennick Laybourn is born at National Women’s Hospital, Auckland. His parents are Bruce Rennick Laybourn and Nil Çiçek. All are New Zealand citizens. Nil Çiçek also has Turkish citizenship.

May 4, 2007
Nil Çiçek and her mother, who had been in New Zealand for Dylan’s birth, leave with my 4-month-old son for a 3-week holiday in Turkey, booked to return on May 29, 2007.

May 25, 2007
I receive an email from Nil Çiçek stating that she is not returning and that “I will not see my son grow up.”

May 25, 2007
I rang the Hague Convention on Child Abduction Central Authority in Wellington and alerted them of the abduction of a New Zealand baby to Turkey and asked for advice.

May 30, 2007
I received confirmation from Trish Bailey at the Central Authority, confirming receipt of my application for assistance for the retrieval of Dylan from Turkey She advised that an Auckland barrister, Alex Ashmore, had been appointed to handle the case.

June 1, 2007
I swore an affidavit with Mr Ashmore in support of the application for the return of Dylan.

June 5, 2007
The application is lodged with the Turkish Central Authority in Ankara. The file number for Dylan’s case is issued – 3/12352007.

June 11, 2007
Nil Çiçek appears before the Public Prosecutor in Istanbul. Judge Elgin Ergul wrote to the New Zealand Central Authority that “the mother has not been convinced to reach amicable solution” and “we are waiting for a response from your authority before we take any further steps.”

June 13, 2007
I ring Damien Edwards of the Minister of Foreign Affairs office, to see what could be done to speed the process. He gives me details of officials at the New Zealand Embassy in Ankara.

June 14. 2007
I email the embassy to let them know I am coming to Turkey.

June 21, 2007
I am referred to Rosemary Patterson of Consular Cases and she states it is Wellington’s intention to inform Turkey that they have not recognised New Zealand’s joining of the Hague Convention. I plead with her that as this is only a technicality to let the Turks continue with the case they have already opened.

July, 2 2007
I visit my local MP, Rodney Hide. He promises assistance.

July 10, 2007
Trish Bailey of the New Zealand Central Authority writes to Alex Ashmore informing him that although Turkey has not recognised New Zealand’s joining of the convention, she has written to the Turkish Central Authority advising them of the error and requesting “favourable consideration”

July 12, 2007
I leave Auckland for Istanbul

July 23, 2007
I drive from Istanbul to Ankara and engage local lawyer, Nedim Yuca, to represent me.

July 24, 2007
Mr Yuca and I visit the New Zealand Embassy and brief Moira Turley and Kirsty Webster on how the Turkish procedure for the Hague Convention works.  Ambassador Hamish Copper, drops into the meeting briefly to introduce himself.

July 26, 2007
Mr Yuca and I drive to Istanbul.

July 27, 2007
Mr Yuca and I have a meeting with the Public Prosecutor at the Ministry of Justice. The prosecutor shows me a letter from his ministry that states they have no option to stop the case for the return of Dylan to New Zealand following advice from Wellington. The prosecutor is clearly distressed. He and Mr Yuca confer, before Mr Yuca bluntly states: “Your own country has stabbed you in the back.”

July 31, 2007
Nil Çiçek tells me her family seized her and Dylan’s New Zealand passports to stop them leaving the country and returning home with me.

August 4, 2007
I pay US$800 to the New Zealand High Commission in Istanbul for Emergency Travel documents.

August 9, 2007
Kirsty Webster at the New Zealand Embassy in Ankara, informs me that there has been no progress in getting Turkey to recognize New Zealand’s accession to the Hague Convention.

August 12, 2007
I fly out of Istanbul alone on my way home.

August 15, 2007
I talk to Mike Munro in Wellington about reaching someone in government who may care about a New Zealand citizen, a baby boy, the Great Grandson of a New Zealand Gallipoli soldier, who is trapped in Turkey.

October 10, 2007
I am invited to travel to Wellington for a meeting with Winston Peters and the New Zealand Ambassador to Turkey, Hamish Cooper.

October 11, 2007
A day after paying for a non-refundable ticket to Wellington, I am informed that the Ministry of Foreign affairs does not deem it appropriate for me to meet the minister and ambassador.

October 19, 2007
Kirsty Webster at the New Zealand Embassy in Ankara informs me that there has been no progress in getting Turkey to reopen the case for the return of Dylan.

November 1, 2007
Winston Peters sends a “brush off” letter that takes credit for my arrangements in Turkey but makes no commitment of any action to retrieve Dylan.

December 11, 2007
Concerned that the Hague Convention not available to retrieve Dylan I filed an ex parte application in the Family Court for an interim custody order (FAM 2007 004 003154).

December 12, 2007
Family Court insisted papers be personally served on Nil Çiçek in Turkey before Court would hear the case.

December 28, 2007
A Turkish court, without my representation, awards custody of Dylan to Nil Çiçek and grants a divorce.

January 15, 2008
My Turkish lawyer, Nedim Yuca. lodges an appeal against the custody order.

February 11, 2008
I arrive in Istanbul with security expert Wayne Tempero as an adviser and bodyguard for myself and Dylan. Mr Yuca flies from Ankara and set up in the Gezi Hotel to plan an access application to the Turkish Family Court.

February 12, 2008
Mr Yuca’s legal colleagues report that Gulsen’s family lawyers have scattered paperwork in far-flung courthouses in an apparent bid to frustrate our attempts to see Dylan. Mr Yuca states that he has never seen anything “quite so fishy.” It takes 2 days in taxis around Istanbul to find all the paperwork.

February 15, 2008
I meet the family court judge and he is clearly surprised to see me. He has apparently been advised  that I have abandoned my son and have no interest in seeing him. He grants me a court order for access to Dylan for the months of February and August until the custody appeal is heard.

February 22, 2008
I travel with Execution Court officials to Gulsen’s family home to collect Dylan. Mr Tempero stands guard on the back door and sure enough, Dylan’s grandmother attempts to escape with him. She flees back inside when confronted. Nil Çiçek's older sister shouts that they have a gun and the officials scatter for cover. A court official is eventually allowed in. Nil Çiçek arrives from work, her lawyer arrives soon afterward followed by 2 men Nil later identifies as secret police. After perhaps an hour and a half standing in the snow, Nil emerges with Dylan and travels with me to the Gezi Hotel. She is moving into my room with Dylan, when the leader of the secret police attempts to barge in. I lock the door. Nil goes to the lobby and warns the secret police that as Kiwis we are not intimidated and if they persist in bullying tactics we will retaliate. She warns them this can only result in an international incident. The leader of the secret police presses Mr Yuca to a wall in a lobby lounge and warns him that if I take Dylan from Turkey they will kill his son. After Nil's warning, these guys change tactic and invite me to join them for Turkish coffee where they gesture that a father and son must be together.

February 23, 2008
Dylan, Nil Çiçek and I are together as a family for the first time ever. We begin a memorable week of bonding with our son. I deliver dozens of presents from New Zealand. Dylan clearly knows me and relates instinctively and cheerfully to his daddy. I teach him the haka and he performs it for the video camera. We are checked up on but not openly harassed again.

February 28, 2008
I head for Istanbul Airport where customs demand to see my travel plans all the way to New Zealand as my first leg ticket is just to Athens. Nil is to resign her job and bring Dylan home.

Within weeks, Nil Çiçek's family has replanted old fears and she declares, yet again, that she is not coming home.

Jan 28, 2009 Seoul, Korea
I've woken after overnighting here, halfway to Istanbul. I'm  so nervous and excited at prospect of seeing my wee man after a whole year.

My suit case is full of toys and I bought him an All Black jersey at Auckland Airport on the way out.

I'm hoping to have his access with Dylan for the month of February, as ruled by the Turkish Family Court. As of now we have had no confirmation from Dylan's mother, Nil, that she and her family are willing to co-operate.

Our whole family are hoping and praying that they comply with the court appointed access so that this will be a happy and exciting reunion of a baby son and his daddy. I have sent many messages (unanswered) imploring Nil to ensure this is a happy time without tension or trauma for Dylan.

Dylan turned two just a few weeks ago.

Another reason for his travel, and a much anticipated one, is the court hearing which will take place on the 19th of Feb.

Much love to all friends, family and amazing strangers who've become friends through their compassion and support.

YET ANOTHER DELAY!!!
February 17, 2009, Istanbul, Turkey

The Hague Convention on Child Abduction case for the return of Dylan Rennick Laybourn to New Zealand was adjourned until March 24.

The hearing, at the Istanbul Family Court on February 17 was attended by Dylan’s father, Bruce Rennick Laybourn and his two of his New Zealand aunties, Diane & Pam Laybourn. Conducted entirely in Turkish, it lasted little more than 30 minutes.

The official who was to conduct the case on behalf of the Republic of Turkey – the Public Prosecutor – was not present. Instead, Bruce Laybourn’s Turkish lawyer, spoke for the cause of the prosecutor, and appeared to spend much of the hearing attempting to explain the Hague Convention process.

“The huge frustration for me is that the Hague Convention sets a desired time frame of 6 weeks for these tragic humanitarian cases due to the extreme trauma for the ‘stay at home’ parent. We have now been waiting 20 months for justice to be served,” said Bruce Laybourn immediately after the hearing.

“Our application in 2007 for the return of Dylan met every criteria – his father and mother, Nil Cicek, are both New Zealand citizens, were married in New Zealand, Dylan was born in New Zealand and all were living together as a family in Auckland when he was taken to Turkey for a three-week holiday.

“It is distressing that such an enormous injustice between two very friendly nations continues year after year without resolution.