China executed four Canadians in the past few months, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly said on Wednesday, adding that she and former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau had asked for clemency in the drug-related accusations involving the dual citizens.
Beijing’s embassy in Ottawa said that the executions were due to drug crimes and added that China does not recognize dual citizenship.
“We strongly condemn the executions,” Joly told reporters in Ottawa. “I asked personally for leniency... They were all dual citizens.”
Photo: AP
Joly said that Canada consistently asks for clemency for Canadians facing the death penalty abroad.
She said the families have asked the government to withhold details of the identity of the four individuals.
Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Charlotte MacLeod said that the agency — which manages Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations — continues to provide consular assistance to families and requested that the media respect their privacy.
Ottawa continues to advocate for clemency for Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling, MacLeod said.
“China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said. “The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient.”
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) “fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned,” the spokesperson said, adding that Canada’s government should “stop making irresponsible remarks.”
The two countries have some tensions. China imposed retaliatory tariffs on some Canadian farm and food imports earlier this month, after Canada imposed duties in October last year on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EV), and steel and aluminum products.
“China is sending us a message that we have to take steps if we want to see an improvement in the relationship,” former Canadian ambassador to China Guy Saint-Jacques said.
Ian Brodie, a former chief of staff to former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, wrote on social media that it turns out “agricultural tariffs weren’t the worst part of the PRC response to EV tariffs.”
Opposition Conservative lawmaker Michael Chong said that “executing a number of Canadians in short order is unprecedented, and is clearly a sign that Beijing has no intention of improving relations with Canada.”
Amnesty International condemned the executions in a statement.
“These shocking and inhumane executions of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities should be a wake-up call for Canada,” said Ketty Nivyabandi, the group’s head for English-speaking Canada.
Heavy rain and strong winds yesterday disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand’s North Island, while snapping power links to tens of thousands. Domestic media reported a few flights had resumed operating by afternoon from the airport in Wellington, the capital, although cancelations were still widespread after airport authorities said most morning flights were disrupted. Air New Zealand said it hoped to resume services when conditions ease later yesterday, after it paused operations at Wellington, Napier and Palmerston North airports. Online images showed flooded semi-rural neighborhoods, inundated homes, trees fallen on vehicles and collapsed
FRAYED: Strains between the US-European ties have ruptured allies’ trust in Washington, but with time, that could be rebuilt, the Michigan governor said China is providing crucial support for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and could end the war with a phone call, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said. “China could call [Russian President] Vladimir Putin and end this war tomorrow and cut off his dual-purpose technologies that they’re selling,” Whitaker said during a Friday panel at the Munich Security Conference. “China could stop buying Russian oil and gas.” “You know, this war is being completely enabled by China,” the US envoy added. Beijing and Moscow have forged an even tighter partnership since the start of the war, and Russia relies on China for critical parts
In a softly lit Shanghai bar, graduate student Helen Zhao stretched out both wrists to have her pulse taken — the first step to ordering the house special, a bespoke “health” cocktail based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). “TCM bars” have popped up in several cities across China, epitomizing what the country’s stressed-out, time-poor youth refer to as “punk wellness,” or “wrecking yourself while saving yourself.” At Shanghai’s Niang Qing, a TCM doctor in a white coat diagnoses customers’ physical conditions based on the pulse readings, before a mixologist crafts custom drinks incorporating the herbs and roots prescribed for their ailments.
Two sitting Philippine senators have been identified as “coperpetrators” in former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC), documents released by prosecutors showed. Philippine senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go are among eight current and former officials named in a document dated Feb. 13 and posted to the court’s Web site. ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his “war on drugs.” “Duterte and his coperpetrators shared a common plan or agreement to ‘neutralize’ alleged criminals in the Philippines
RSS