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.
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