Canadian Foreign Minister Calls Death Sentencing Of Canadian In China Cruel, Inhumane

Canadian Foreign Minister Calls Death Sentencing of Canadian in China Cruel, Inhumane

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland expressed concern about the death sentencing of a Canadian national involved in drug trafficking in China and called it cruel and inhumane

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st May, 2019) Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland expressed concern about the death sentencing of a Canadian national involved in drug trafficking in China and called it cruel and inhumane.

On Tuesday, a Chinese court handed down sentences to at least six foreigners involved in producing and cross-border trafficking of methamphetamine, including a Canadian national identified as Fan Wei, who was sentenced to death.

"We're very concerned by this sentence. Canada stands firmly opposed to the use of the death penalty everywhere around the world. We think that this is a cruel and inhumane punishment which should not be used in any country," Freeland said as quoted by CTV broadcaster.

According to court materials, in March 2012, Fan Wei and his accomplices decided to engage in the production and trafficking of drugs. From July to November of the same year, they produced 63.8 kilograms (140.5 pounds) of methamphetamine in an underground workshop in the Chinese city of Jiangmen.

The court sentenced Fan Wei and another suspect, Wu Ziping, to death, as they were the leaders of the gang.

Fan Wei has become the second Canadian national sentenced to death in China for drug-related charges over the past six months. In January, Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg received capital punishment for drugs trafficking in China. This case caused a wide international reaction. The Canadian authorities asked China to change the punishment, but the Chinese authorities have remained adamant.

Canadian-Chinese relations have worsened after the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese high-tech giant Huawei, in Vancouver in December at the request of the US authorities on suspicions of violating Washington's Iran sanctions. The move was slammed by Beijing, which called on Ottawa to release the official.