The Canadian authorities have confirmed earlier this year that 4 Canadians were executed in China on drug-related charges. All of them were dual citizens, but their identities have been withheld as requested by their families. Canada’s foreign minister Mélanie Joly on Wednesday has issued the statement in the media.
Joly has condemned these killings as “irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity.” She even added that she had “asked personally for leniency.” The spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Canada has confirmed that evidence for the Canadian nationals’ crimes was “solid and sufficient.” The Chinese embassy has also urged Canada to “stop making irresponsible remarks,” as per reports.
The Chinese embassy has even added that Beijing had “fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned” and requested the Canadian government to respect “China’s judicial sovereignty”.
Execution with Chinese characteristics:
China executed four Canadians for drug crimes while subsidizing Chinese chemical factories to produce fentanyl for drug lords in Mexico. pic.twitter.com/teuQCjd6aI
— Denise Wu (@denisewu) March 19, 2025
China as a country does not recognise dual citizenship and has always been pretty tough on drug crimes. Joly commented that she has been following the cases “very closely” for months now and had even tried with other officials to stop the executions. This even includes former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Charlotte MacLeod, the Global Affairs Canada spokesperson issued a statement to Canadian media recently. She said that “repeatedly called for clemency for these individuals at the senior-most levels and remains steadfast in its opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases, everywhere”.
China on the other hand has been very strict about their laws. They impose the death penalty on serious crimes which also include crimes related to corruption, espionage and drugs. Even though they keep the number of executions a secret, human rights groups believe that China has one of the highest execution rates in the world. But what has caught the media’s attention is the death penalty on foreigners which is rare.
The executions exposed this week have sparked controversy amongst campaigners. “These shocking and inhumane executions of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities should be a wake-up call for Canada,” said Ketty Nivyabandi from Amnesty International Canada. “We are devastated for the families of the victims, and we hold them in our hearts as they try to process the unimaginable.” Nivyabandi added, “Our thoughts also go to the loved ones of Canadian citizens whom China is holding on death row or whose whereabouts in the Chinese prison system are unknown.”
It was in 2019 that Canadian national Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was sentenced to death in China for smuggling drugs. It was a high-profile case that caught attention and condemnation from the Canadian authorities. However, he was not among the Canadians who were executed.
Four Canadians were executed in China this year after facing charges that according to Beijing involved criminal activity linked to drugs, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said. pic.twitter.com/sUxkFQUO96
— Ashley Burke (@AshleyBurkeCBC) March 19, 2025
“We’ll continue to not only strongly condemn but also ask for leniency for other Canadians that are facing similar situations,” Joly said on Wednesday.
The political relationship between China and Canada has been icy since 2018. This happened after Canada detained Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese telecom executive on a US extradition request. Shortly after China arrested 2 Canadians, however they have all been released now.
This year, Canadian media released reports, based on leaked intelligence. The reports had detailed claims of Chinese authorities meddling with Canada’s last two federal elections. China on the other hand has condemned these reports and called them “baseless and defamatory.”
Very recently, China imposed high tariffs on some Canadian food and farm imports as a retaliation against Ottawa’s levies on Chinese steel and aluminum and electric vehicles.
