China executes four Canadians for drug crimes this year

Four Canadians have been executed in China on drugs related to drugs earlier this year, Canadian authorities have confirmed.

They were all double citizens and their identities were withheld, said Canada Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie.

A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Canada has been reported to have called on Ottawa to “stop making irresponsible remarks,” as experts were afraid of a more decline in relations between the countries after years of tension.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it acted “in accordance with the law” while the embassy said it had “solid and sufficient” evidence of their crimes.

Beijing “fully guarantees the rights and interests of the Canadian citizens concerned,” the embassy said, urging Canada to comply with China’s “judicial sovereignty.”

China does not recognize dual citizenship and has a difficult position on drug crimes. However, the death penalty of foreigners is rarely carried out.

Jolie said she had followed the “very close” cases for months and had tried with other employees, including former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to stop executions.

In a statement to the Canadian media, global speaker Canada Charlotte McLeod said Canada “repeatedly calls for the pardon of these persons at the highest levels and remains steadfast in opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases, everywhere.”

China imposes the death penalty for serious crimes, including those related to drugs, corruption and espionage. While the number of executions is kept secret, human rights groups believe that China has one of the highest rates of implementation in the world.

“These shocking and inhuman executions of Canadian citizens from Chinese authorities should be a call to wake up for Canada,” said Kathy Niviabandi of Amnesty International Canada. “We are devastated to the victims’ families. We keep them in our hearts as they try to process the unimaginable.

“Our thoughts also go to the relatives of Canadian citizens, whom China holds death or whose location in the Chinese closed system is unknown.”

In 2019, Canadian national Robert Lloyd Shelenberg was sentenced to death in China for smuggling drugs, in a high -profile case sentenced by the Canadian government. He was not among the executed Canadians.

“We will continue to not only strongly condemn, but also ask for leniency for other Canadians who face such situations,” Jolie said on Wednesday.

Relations between Canada and China have been icy since 2018 after Canada detained a Chinese CEO of Telecommunications Meng Wangou, at the request of American extradition. China arrested two Canadians shortly thereafter, and they were already released.

In 2023, the Canadian media released reports, many of which are based on expiring intelligence, for detailed allegations of Chinese intervention in the federal elections in the country. China denied the reports, calling them “unfounded and defamatory.”

Most recently, China has imposed vengeful tariffs on some Canadian farms and food imports after Ottawa put tax on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.