Four Canadians were executed in China for drug charges earlier this year, Canadian authorities confirmed.
They were all double citizens and their identities were denied, said Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly.
A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Canada allegedly urged Ottawa to “cease to be irresponsible remarks”, as experts were afraid of further falling relations between countries after years of stressing.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that it operated “in accordance with the law”, while the embassy said there was a “firm and sufficient” evidence for their crimes.
Beijing “completely guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals in question,” the embassy said, urging Canada to respect the “Chinese court sovereignty”.
China does not recognize dual citizenship and takes a difficult attitude about drug crimes. However, it is rare that the death penalty be performed on foreigners.
Joly said she had been following the cases of “very closely” for months and that she tried with other officials, including former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to stop the execution.
In a statement to the Canadian media, the spokeswoman for the global affairs of Canada Charlotte MacLeod said that Canada “repeatedly called for mercy for these individuals at the highest levels and remains unwavering in her opposition to use the death penalty in all cases, everywhere.”
China imposes a death penalty on serious crimes, including those related to drugs, corruption and spy. While the number of executions is kept secret, human rights groups believe that China has one of the highest rates of execution in the world.
“This shocking and inhumane execution of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities should be an invitation to wake up for Canada,” said Ketty Nivyubandi of Amnesty International Canada. “We are devastated to the families of the victims and hold them in our hearts as they try to process unthinkable.”
“Our thoughts also go to the loved ones of Canadian nationals held by China at a death penalty, or which are located in the Chinese prison system unknown.”
In 2019, Canadian state Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was sentenced to death in China for drug smuggling, in a significant case condemned by the Canadian government. He was not among the Canadians who were executed.
“We will continue not only to condemn strongly, but we will also seek indulgence for other Canadians who face similar situations,” Joly said on Wednesday.
Relations between Canada and China have been ice since 2018 after Canada detained the Chinese telecommunications executive director Meng Wanzhou on a request for extradition to the United States. China was arrested shortly afterwards by two Canadians, and both were now released.
The Canadian media in 2023 published reports, many based on missed intelligence, about detailed claims about Chinese mixing in the country’s federal elections. China denied the reports, calling them “unfounded and slander.”
More recently, China has imposed retaliation with the imports of Canadian farms and food after Ottawa charged Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.
