Canada denies abusing Meng Wanzhou’s rights, saying border officers used ‘usual customs processes’ when they took her phones at airport
- Response to lawsuit by Meng says border officers were not acting on behalf of US prosecutors or Canadian police when they seized her electronic devices
- But Meng’s lawyers says her December 1 border examination at Vancouver’s airport was a ‘false pretence’ for her to be detained and interrogated
Canada has hit back at Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, saying its border officers only used “usual customs and immigration processes” when they seized her electronic devices and questioned her at Vancouver’s airport.
The claims came in a response to a lawsuit by Meng alleging that border officers worked with police to abuse her rights and illegally detain her six months ago. The response was lodged on Monday by a Department of Justice lawyer acting for the officers in the March 1 lawsuit.
Meng was arrested at Vancouver’s airport on December 1, by Canadian police acting on a US request. She is fighting extradition to the US, and is living in Vancouver after being released on C$10 million (US$7.5 million) bail.
“Although the CBSA [Canada Border Services Agency] officers were aware that the plaintiff was the subject of a provisional arrest warrant … they examined the plaintiff and her luggage only for immigration and customs purposes,” the response says.
Meng’s lawsuit says she was subjected to “unlawful seizure and search” of her electronic devices and luggage, and that she was unlawfully detained for three hours by the CBSA officers.