China to Execute Canadian

Robert Schellenberg, 36, was arrested in 2014 and accused of planning to smuggle almost 500lb (227kg) of methamphetamine from China to Australia.

Schellenberg, 36, had previously been sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 2016, but the provincial high court ordered a retrial on December 29 after prosecutors deemed the sentence “too lenient”.

Schellenberg was sentenced in a Canadian court in 2012 to two years for possession of cocaine and heroin for trafficking purposes, and simple possession of cannabis resin and methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty & served 16 months.

  TRUDEAU HITS OUT AT CHINA

HUA CHUNYIN HITS BACK

The pressure was now on for Canada to engage with China during the 10-day appeal period after Schellenberg’s sentencing.

BACKSTORY

The sentence comes against the backdrop of Beijing's anger over the arrest in Canada of top executive Meng Wanzhou from Chinese telecom giant Huawei last month on a United States extradition request related to Iran sanctions violations.

  Chinese authorities later detained two Canadian nationals - a former diplomat and a business consultant - on suspicion of endangering national security, a move seen as retaliation for Meng's arrest.

  Ottawa has called for the Canadians' immediate release, with the backing of the US, the European Union and several Western nations.

  On Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry urged Canada to immediately release Meng, saying the case was an abuse of legal procedures.