A Yukon legal advocate is shedding light on the case of a Carcross-Tagish First Nation woman imprisoned in Turkey.

Tracey Atamer is one of several Yukoners working to raise awareness and support for Charman Smith.

Smith, 38, has been incarcerated in Istanbul since she was arrested on drug trafficking charges in May 2016.

Atamer learned about Smith’s case, she said, through her daughter, who had been Smith’s employer.

“She said, ‘Mum I’ve heard rumours about Charman being imprisoned in Turkey and nobody seems to know anything and nobody’s looking into it,’ ” she told the Star this week.

But Atamer said getting information on the case wasn’t easy.

“I seemed to come up against brick walls everywhere I turned,” she said.

Eventually, Atamer was able to find out where Smith is incarcerated.

She has since retained a lawyer for Smith in Turkey, and has communicated with her through legal counsel and letters.

Supporters have set up a YouCaring fund to raise money toward Smith’s legal fees and aftercare.

And according to a post dated Dec. 14 on the Facebook Page “Charman Smith: Help Her Get Back to Canada from Turkish Prison,” she has responded that she is grateful for those who are supporting her.

Atamer said it was important for her to get involved because Smith is a vulnerable person who was deceived.

“She’s a woman with FASD, epilepsy and diabetes who was preyed upon by the most lowest of predators and conned into this trip of a lifetime,” she said.

According to Atamter, in the spring of 2016, Smith was approached by a taxi driver in Whitehorse with promises of an international travel opportunity. She noted Smith has been the victim of scams before.

“Many, many people told her that it didn’t sound right, that she shouldn’t go. But she wanted to travel and explore, and that was something that was really unreachable for her on her own,” Atamer explained.

On May 19, 2016, Smith was arrested on the tarmac at the airport while leaving Turkey to travel back to Canada. It is alleged there was a “substantial quantity” of illicit drugs in her luggage.

Atamer is hoping that Smith will be able to come back to Canada to serve her sentence according to Canadian law.

“I hope she comes home, I really do,” she said.

Atamer noted she is especially concerned due to poor prison conditions in Turkey and Smith’s health issues.

“The conditions were inhumane prior to the coup they had last year in Turkey; now they are unthinkable over there,” she said.

According to Amnesty International, following the failed coup in July 2016, there was a reported increase in torture and ill-treatment in police detention.

Yukon MP Larry Bagnell had previously told the Star that Canada does not have a bilateral treaty with Turkey that would facilitate Smith’s transfer.

While this is true, there is a transfer of offenders arrangement between the two countries.

Ralph Goodale, the minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, is currently responsible for the implementation of these treaties.

And Correctional Service of Canada administers the International Transfer of Offenders Program through Global Affairs Canada.