Canada: Huawei's Meng extradition hearing postponed

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - The senior Huawei executive wanted on 13 criminal counts in the U.S. made a brief court appearance in Vancouver on Wednesday.

A packed courtroom including international media listened as Meng Wanzhou had her extradition hearing postponed to May 8.

She was arrested in Vancouver in December at the request of American officials who want her on charges of fraud, obstruction and conspiracy in connection with transgressing U.S. sanctions against Iran. Meng is the Chief Financial Officer of Huawei and the daughter of the tech giant’s founder.

The arrest and detention -- Meng was eventually released on $10 million bail but she must stay in Vancouver -- touched off a furor as China demanded she be released. China claimed her human rights had been violated.

Canada said they were only carrying out the terms of their extradition treaty with the U.S.

Last week, Meng filed a lawsuit against the Canadian attorney general, its border services who detained her Dec. 1 and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, also claiming her rights had been violated.

Since the arrest, Chinese officials have charged two Canadians with spying and China this week revoked a major Canadian company’s registration to ship canola seed to China.

All this takes place as the U.S. and China engage in a trade war.

Richard Peck, one of Meng’s lawyers, raised the spectre Tuesday that her arrest might be a bargaining chip in the trade war as he noted U.S. President Donald Trump said he might intervene in the case.

The U.S. wants Meng to face trial in the U.S. and most extradition cases in Canada end with agreement with the request.

But after the Meng court ruling, it is up to the Canadian federal justice minister to make the final decision on extradition and if Meng’s rights are deemed to have been violated under the Canadian Charter of Rights, she may not be surrendered to the U.S.

Also, it may take years for a final decision to be made as the Meng extradition winds its way through various appeals.