Canada denounces the death penalty and confirms the execution of four Chinese citizens

Despite Canada’s requests for leniency, China executes four Canadian dual citizens on drug-related charges, causing diplomatic indignation and raising human rights concerns.

Canadian authorities have verified that four Canadians were killed earlier this year in China on drug-related charges.

Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, told reporters on Wednesday that all of them were dual nationals and that their identities had been kept secret at their families’ desire.

She said she had “asked personally for leniency” and denounced the executions as “irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity.”

According to reports, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Canada called the proof of the crimes committed by the Canadians “solid and sufficient” and encouraged Canada to “stop making irresponsible remarks.”

In addition, the Chinese embassy encouraged the Canadian government to respect “China’s judicial sovereignty” and stated that Beijing had “fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned.”

China has a strict policy against drug offenses and does not accept dual citizenship.

Joly claimed to have been keeping a close eye on the cases for months and to have attempted to halt the executions by working with other officials, such as former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Canada has “repeatedly called for clemency for these individuals at the senior-most levels and remains steadfast in its opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases, everywhere,” according to a statement released to Canadian media by Global Affairs Canada spokesman Charlotte MacLeod.

Serious crimes in China, such as those involving drugs, corruption, and espionage, are punishable by death. Human rights organizations say China has one of the highest execution rates in the world, despite the fact that the exact number of executions is unknown.

The death penalty is rarely applied to foreign nationals, nonetheless.
The executions that were made public this week have drawn outrage from activists.

According to Ketty Nivyabandi of Amnesty International Canada, “Canada should take note of these shocking and inhumane executions of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities.” “We hold the victims in our hearts as they attempt to come to terms with the unthinkable, and we are devastated for their families.”

“We also send our condolences to the families of Canadians who are either on death row in China or whose whereabouts are unknown within the Chinese prison system.”

In a well-known case that the Canadian government denounced, Canadian native Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was given a death sentence in China in 2019 for transporting drugs. He was not one of the Canadians that were put to death.

Joly stated on Wednesday that “we will continue to not only strongly condemn but also ask for leniency for other Canadians that are facing similar situations.”

Following Canada’s detention of Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese telecom executive, on a US extradition request in 2018, relations between China and Canada have been tense ever since. Shortly after, China detained two Canadians, but they have now all been freed.

Reports about specific allegations of Chinese interference in the nation’s last two federal elections were published earlier this year by Canadian media, many of which were based on intelligence leaks. The reports have been denounced by China as “baseless and defamatory.”

More recently, in response to Ottawa’s taxes on Chinese steel, aluminum, and electric vehicles, China levied retaliatory duties on a number of Canadian food and farm imports.