China has executed four Canadian citizens on drug-related charges, sparking global outrage and strong condemnation from Ottawa officials.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly revealed the executions took place earlier this year, describing them as "irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity."
The killings have further strained already tense relations between Ottawa and Beijing.
All four executed Canadians were dual citizens, with their identities withheld at the request of their families.
Ottawa and Beijing have had relationships strained over the announcement
Reuters
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly condemned the move
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Joly told reporters she had "personally asked for leniency" and had been following the cases "very closely" for months. She and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had made efforts to stop the executions before they were carried out.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Canada defended the executions, saying evidence for the crimes was "solid and sufficient".
Beijing urged Canada to "stop making irresponsible remarks" and respect "China's judicial sovereignty." The embassy claimed China had "fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned."
China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning added that Beijing "treats defendants of different nationalities equally without discrimination."
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China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning
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China is believed to have one of the highest execution rates in the world, though the exact numbers are kept hidden from the west. The death penalty is imposed for serious crimes including drug offences, corruption and espionage.
However, it's rare for executions to be carried out on foreigners. China does not recognise dual citizenship and takes a particularly tough stance on drug crimes.
Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian man sentenced to death in 2019 for drug smuggling, was not among those executed, according to the Canadian Foreign Ministry. Schellenberg has maintained his innocence, insisting he came to China as a "tourist".
At the time of his sentencing, experts suggested he was being used as a political pawn in broader tensions between China, Canada and the US.
The Chinese embassy in Canada's capital
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Relations between Canada and China have been icy since 2018 when Meng Wanzhou, Chief Financial Officer of Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, was detained in Vancouver at Washington's request. China arrested two Canadians shortly afterwards in what appeared to be retaliation. All three were released in 2021.
More recently, Beijing imposed tariffs on Canadian agricultural products in response to Ottawa's levies on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminium.
Human rights groups have condemned the executions, with Amnesty International calling them "shocking and inhumane".
Ketty Nivyabandi from Amnesty International Canada said the killings "should be a wake-up call for Canada...We are devastated for the families of the victims, and we hold them in our hearts as they try to process the unimaginable."
