China's Supreme People's Court has overturned the death sentence for Canadian citizen Robert Schellenberg, who was convicted of drug smuggling. The news, confirmed by a Canadian official, comes just weeks after Prime Minister Mark Carney's meetings with President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Schellenberg was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2018 for his involvement in an international drug-trafficking ring. However, following an appeal, he was retried and sentenced to death in 2019. This occurred shortly after Canadian authorities detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a U. S. warrant, a move that severely strained relations between Canada and China. While the Canadian government has acknowledged the decision, specific details have not been disclosed. "Canada has advocated for clemency in this case, as it does for all Canadians who are sentenced to the death penalty," said a spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada.
Schellenberg's case has been a point of contention between Canada and China, especially after the detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor by Beijing shortly after Meng's arrest. While Kovrig and Spavor were released in 2021, four other Canadians were reportedly executed in China last year on drug-related charges.
The timing of the overturned sentence, following Prime Minister Carney's efforts to reset relations with Beijing and strike agreements to remove certain trade barriers, suggests a possible improvement in diplomatic ties. Schellenberg was accused of conspiring to smuggle 222 kilograms of methamphetamine from China to Australia in 2014, allegations he denies.
