CHINESE COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR CANADIAN NATIONAL

TORONTO/BEIJING: In an escalation of tensions between Beijing and Ottawa, a Chinese court has upheld the death sentence of Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian national, just days before the crucial extradition hearing of Chinese telecom giant Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver. Canada has slammed the death sentence as “arbitrary”.

A court in Liaoning province upheld Schellenberg’s death sentence on charges related to drug smuggling. He was originally sentenced to 15 years in prison, but it was changed to capital punishment in January 2019, weeks after Meng was arrested in Vancouver on charges of attempted fraud.

Schellenberg was detained by Chinese authorities in December 2014, charged with drug smuggling in January 2015, and sent to jail for 15 years on November 28, 2018.

“The facts found in the first trial were clear, the evidence was reliable and sufficient, the conviction was accurate, the sentence was appropriate, and the trial procedures were legal,” the verdict said.

In his first trial, he was sentenced for smuggling 222kg of meth.

Meng’s hearing in a British Columbia court over her proposed extradition to the US, as sought by Washington, is expected to be completed on August 20.

In a statement reacting to Schellenberg’s verdict, Canada’s foreign minister Marc Garneau said Canada “strongly condemns” the decision, opposes the death penalty, and condemns “the arbitrary nature” of the sentence.

“We have repeatedly expressed to China our firm opposition to this cruel and inhumane punishment and will continue to engage with Chinese officials at the highest levels to grant clemency to Mr. Schellenberg,” Garneau said.

Beijing has also charged two Canadians, ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, with spying since the diplomatic hostilities began.