China announces Canadian’s drug smuggling appeal as row continues over detained trio
- Court says Robert Lloyd Schellenberg’s appeal will be heard on Saturday
- It follows China’s detention of three Canadians since arrest of Huawei executive Sabrina Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver
A Chinese court will hear an appeal by a Canadian citizen against a drug smuggling conviction on Saturday, mainland media reported, in a case that could further test the tense relations between Beijing and Ottawa.
The man is the fourth Canadian to be either detained or named in connection with a legal matter in China since the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Sabrina Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on December 1.
China has previously announced the detention of two Canadian citizens on December 10, accusing them of activities “that endanger China’s national security”, and a Canadian teacher last week over a visa irregularity.
The high court in the northeast province of Liaoning announced in a brief online notice that Robert Lloyd Schellenberg will have a public appeal hearing on Saturday at 2pm.
Liaoning online news portal runsky.com said Schellenberg was found to have smuggled “an enormous amount of drugs” into China.