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Canadian authorities have confirmed that earlier this year, four Canadian citizens faced execution in China on charges tied to drug offenses. Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, revealed that all four individuals held dual citizenship, though their identities remain undisclosed.
Tensions between Ottawa and Beijing, already frayed after years of diplomatic friction, risk deepening further. A spokesperson from China’s embassy in Canada reportedly cautioned the Canadian government against issuing what they described as irresponsible statements, a remark that has fueled speculation among analysts about worsening bilateral ties. On Thursday, China’s foreign ministry defended the executions, asserting that they were conducted in full compliance with legal standards. The embassy echoed this, emphasizing that the evidence against the individuals was both substantial and irrefutable.
Beijing maintained that it had diligently upheld the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals involved, calling on Canada to honor China’s judicial autonomy. China, which does not acknowledge dual citizenship, enforces a stringent policy on drug-related crimes, though it seldom applies the death penalty to foreign nationals.
Joly disclosed that she had closely monitored the cases for months, collaborating with senior officials—including former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—in a concerted effort to halt the executions. Charlotte MacLeod, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, told local media that the government had persistently sought clemency at the highest levels, reaffirming Canada’s unwavering opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances worldwide.
China employs the death penalty for grave offenses, such as drug trafficking, corruption, and espionage, though exact execution figures remain undisclosed. Human rights organizations estimate that the country maintains one of the world’s highest rates of capital punishment.
The Chinese embassy in Canada asserted that Beijing had thoroughly safeguarded the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals involved, pressing Canada to acknowledge China’s judicial authority. China, which does not acknowledge dual citizenship, maintains a stringent policy toward drug offenses, though it infrequently applies the death penalty to foreign nationals.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly revealed that she had meticulously tracked these cases for months, collaborating with senior officials—including former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—in efforts to prevent the executions. Charlotte MacLeod, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, informed local media that the government had consistently sought clemency for these individuals at the highest levels, underscoring Canada’s resolute opposition to capital punishment in all instances globally.
China enforces the death penalty for grave offenses such as drug trafficking, corruption, and espionage, though it conceals precise execution statistics. Human rights organizations estimate that the country ranks among the global leaders in the frequency of capital punishment.
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Ketty Nivyabandi of Amnesty International Canada described the executions of four Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities as both shocking and inhumane, urging Canada to view the event as a critical alert. She expressed profound sorrow for the victims’ families, noting that the organization stands in solidarity with them as they grapple with their immense loss. She also extended sympathies to the families of other Canadians currently on death row in China or whose locations within its prison system remain undisclosed.
In 2019, Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, a Canadian national, received a death sentence in China for drug smuggling—a case that drew sharp criticism from the Canadian government, though he was not among those recently executed. Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, speaking on Wednesday, affirmed that Canada would persist in both condemning such actions and seeking clemency for other Canadians facing similar fates.
Sino-Canadian relations have remained strained since 2018, when Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese telecom executive, at the request of the United States. China responded by detaining two Canadians, both of whom have since been freed. Tensions flared again in 2023, when Canadian media, citing leaked intelligence, published extensive allegations of Chinese interference in federal elections—claims Beijing dismissed as groundless and defamatory.
More recently, China retaliated against Canada’s tariffs on its electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum by imposing duties on select Canadian agricultural and food exports, further complicating an already fraught relationship.
