China urges Canada to stop 'interfering' in its judicial sovereignty

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - Beijing on Thursday urged Canada to stop "interfering" in its judicial sovereignty in response to Canada's condemnation of the execution of Canadian nationals in China a day earlier.

“Canada should respect the rule of law and stop interfering in China's judicial sovereignty,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a news conference in Beijing.

Canada on Wednesday "strongly" condemned China's execution orders on Canadian nationals earlier this year, calling it "irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity," spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod told Anadolu in a statement.

Ottawa additionally reiterated its call for "clemency for these individuals at the senior-most levels."

“Combating drug-related crimes is a shared responsibility of all countries,” said Mao responding to Canada's condemnation, adding that the mentioned Canadians' legal rights and Ottawa's consular rights “were fully protected in accordance with the law.”

The spokeswoman stated that China is "governed by the rule of law" and "treats defendants of all nationalities equally," adding that Beijing handles legal cases "strictly in accordance with the law and fairness."

Canada and China have had frosty relations since late 2018 when Canada detained senior Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the US, who accused her of violating sanctions on Iran. The move led to Beijing's arresting Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, referred to as the "two Michaels," on allegations of spying.

Another Canadian national, Robert ​​Schellenberg, was convicted in China on drug charges and sentenced to 15 years in November 2018. But, following Meng’s detention, he was retried in January 2019 and sentenced to death.

The death penalty remains a significant aspect of the judicial system in China, with high-profile cases drawing attention to its application.