The federal government says it “strongly condemns” the execution of four Canadians in China earlier this year over what Beijing says were “drug-related crimes.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly confirmed the number to reporters outside a cabinet meeting in Ottawa late on Wednesday, after Global Affairs Canada said it was aware that multiple Canadians had been put to death in China this year.
“There are four Canadians that have been executed,” she said. “We strongly condemn what happened, and of course our hearts and minds are with the families.”
To honor their families’ request for privacy, the minister stated that all four were dual citizens of China and Canada, but he refused to provide any additional information about the victims or their cases. Joly said she and former prime minister Justin Trudeau had personally appealed to the Chinese government for leniency in the Canadians’ sentences. She said she was in touch last week with Canadian officials in China and Ottawa offering assistance to the families.“ We will continue to engage with China as we continue to not only strongly condemn but also ask for leniency for other Canadians facing a similar situation,” she said.
Global Affairs Canada has previously declined to confirm how many Canadians had been executed in China this year or when the executions had taken place.
“Canada strongly condemns China’s use of the death penalty, which is irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity,” spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod said in an emailed statement.The Chinese Embassy in Canada defended its use of the death penalty in a separate statement to Global News, adding that Chinese authorities “fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned.”
“China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude towards the drug problem,” the statement said. “The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient.
“We urge the Canadian side to respect the rule of law and China’s judicial sovereignty, stop making irresponsible remarks, work in the same direction with China, and jointly promote the improvement and development of China-Canada relations with concrete actions.”
The Canadians’ alleged crimes were not specified by the embassy, nor was their identity provided. Joly would say if China has provided evidence to support the charges, but acknowledged the Canadians had been accused of “criminal activities, according to China, linked to drugs.”
The executions were first reported by the Globe and Mail, which said it had learned about them earlier this week.Ottawa confirmed that Robert Schellenberg of Abbotsford, B.C., who was arrested in 2014 on drug smuggling charges and was sentenced to death years later, was not one of the Canadians executed.
“Canada continues to advocate for clemency for Robert Schellenberg and provides him and his family consular assistance,” McLeod said.
4 Canadians have been executed by China this year, Ottawa says
