Canadian authorities have confirmed that four Canadians were executed on drug-related charges in China earlier this year.
All of them were dual citizens, and their identities were withheld at the request of their families, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie told reporters on Wednesday.
She condemned the killings as “irreversible and incompatible with basic human dignity”, and said she had “personally apologized”.
A spokeswoman for the Chinese Embassy in Canada said the evidence for the Canadians’ crimes was “solid and sufficient” and urged Canada to “stop making irresponsible statements.”
The Chinese embassy added that Beijing “fully guarantees the rights and interests of the relevant Canadians” and calls on the Canadian government to respect “China’s judicial sovereignty.”
China does not recognize dual citizenship and takes a tough stance on drug crimes.
Jolie said she had been “very closely” monitoring the cases for months and had worked with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other officials to stop the execution.
In a statement to Canadian media, Canada’s global affairs spokeswoman Charlotte McLeod said Canada had “repeatedly called for clemency for these individuals at the highest levels and firmly opposes the use of the death penalty anywhere, anytime.”
China carries out the death penalty for serious crimes, including drugs, corruption and espionage. The number of executions is kept secret, and human rights groups believe China has one of the highest execution rates in the world.
However, the execution of foreigners is rare.
The executions of executioners revealed this week have drawn criticism.
“This shocking and inhumane execution of Canadian citizens by the Chinese authorities should be a wake-up call for Canada,” said Katie Newbandy of Amnesty International Canada. “We mourn the families of the victims, and we hold them in our hearts as they try to process the unthinkable.”
“Our thoughts also go out to the loved ones of Canadian citizens who have been sentenced to death by China or whose whereabouts in the Chinese prison system are unknown.”
In 2019, Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was sentenced to death in China for drug trafficking — a high-profile case that drew condemnation from the Canadian government. He was not among the Canadians sentenced to death.
“We not only strongly condemn, but also call for relief for other Canadians facing similar situations,” Jolie said Wednesday.
Relations between Canada and China have been icy since 2018, when Canada detained Chinese telecommunications executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. extradition request. Shortly after, China arrested two Canadians — but they have all now been released.
Earlier this year, Canadian media outlets published reports based on leaked intelligence detailing allegations of Chinese interference in the country’s last two federal elections. China has denounced the reports as “baseless and defamatory.”
Recently, China imposed retaliatory tariffs on Canadian farm and food imports in retaliation for tariffs imposed by Ottawa on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum.
