Canada demands clemency for drug trafficker sentenced to death by court in Guangdong
- Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland echoes ‘firm opposition’ to capital punishment
- US says it is monitoring case of Texan given suspended death sentence in same case
Canada has criticised the death sentence a Chinese court imposed upon one of its citizens for drug offences and demanded clemency.
Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the sentence handed to Fan Wei by Jiangmen Intermediate People’s Court on Tuesday was “cruel and inhumane punishment”.
“It is of extreme concern to our government that China has chosen to apply the death penalty, a cruel and inhumane punishment,” a spokesman for the Canadian government said.
“Canada has raised our firm opposition to the death penalty with China, and will continue to do so.”
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said the nation was particularly concerned when the death penalty was applied to Canadians.
Canadian officials attended the court proceedings in Guangdong province on Tuesday, and Canada has provided consular help to Fan and his family since he was detained in 2012.