China has executed four Canadians for drug-related offenses this year, confirmed Canadian authorities. These individuals, identified as dual citizens, have had their names withheld for privacy reasons. Canada's Foreign Minister, Mélanie Joly, reported that she had been closely monitoring the situation and had pursued clemency measures with top officials, including former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Chinese embassy in Canada has urged Ottawa to cease "irresponsible remarks," implying that this could worsen the already strained diplomatic relations.
Beijing maintains it acted within legal boundaries, asserting there was "solid and sufficient" evidence against the executed individuals. China does not recognize dual citizenship and applies harsh penalties for drug crimes, even if foreigners are involved—a rare occurrence in capital punishment cases. Joly stated that Canada opposes the death penalty in all instances, highlighting a history of tension between the two nations since Canada detained a Chinese telecom executive in 2018, leading to China’s retaliation against Canadian nationals.
Human rights advocates, like Ketty Nivyabandi from Amnesty International Canada, condemned the executions, describing them as shocking and inhumane, and called for compassion for the victims' families. Past cases, such as Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg's death sentence in 2019 for drug smuggling, also underscore ongoing concerns regarding the treatment of Canadians in China.
