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| This photograph, taken and released by the Intermediate People's Court of Dalian on Jan. 14, shows Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg during his retrial on drug trafficking charges in the court in Dalian, in China's northeast Liaoning Province. AFP |
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| A Chinese security official stands guard in front of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing, Jan. 15. EPA |
By Jung Min-ho
A Chinese court has sentenced a Canadian man to death for drug smuggling, a decision that will likely further inflame tensions between Beijing and Ottawa.
The Dalian Intermediate People's Court in northeastern China said Monday it convicted Robert Lloyd Schellenberg of being involved in smuggling 222 kilograms of crystal meth after a one-day retrial.
He was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison, but the penalty increased after his appeal.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized the ruling, which came after the arrest of Chinese tech giant Huawei's senior executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver a month ago.
"It is of extreme concern to us as a government, as it should be to all our international friends and allies, that China has chosen to begin to arbitrarily apply the death penalty," Trudeau said.
Canada also updated its travel advisory for the country, urging its citizens to "exercise a high degree of caution in China due to the risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws."
According to the court, Schellenberg conspired with drug traffickers in 2014 to orchestrate the smuggling of more than 222 kilograms of meth from the Chinese port city Dalian to Australia.
Schellenberg reportedly insists on his innocence, saying he came to China as a tourist.
He has 10 days to appeal his sentence, which his lawyer told Reuters will most likely happen.
His family released a statement Monday, asking the Canadian government to protect him.
"The Schellenberg family cares deeply about our Robert who is being held under very difficult circumstances in China," the statement says. "As a family, we are communicating with our Member of Parliament, Mr. Ed Fast, who is working hard on our behalf to ensure that the Trudeau Government makes every effort to secure fair treatment for Robert.
"The Schellenberg family requests that all Canadians stand with us and pray for the safe return of our loved one."
The family and the Canadian government worried that China would use him as a bargaining chip for Meng's case. She was freed on bail and is now under house arrest.
China vehemently protested when she was arrested on Dec. 1 and vowed to retaliate. At least 13 Canadian citizens have reportedly been detained in China since.
China imposes the death penalty far more than any other country, according to Amnesty International, although the exact number is unclear.
