Ottawa Decries China's Death Sentence for Canadian in Drug Smuggling Case

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ottawa denounces a Chinese court’s decision to uphold the death sentence against Canadian citizen Robert Lloyd Schellenberg convicted of drug smuggling, Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said on Tuesday.

"Canada strongly condemns China’s decision to uphold the death penalty sentence against Robert Schellenberg. We have repeatedly expressed to China our firm opposition to this cruel and inhumane punishment and will continue to engage with Chinese officials at the highest levels to grant clemency to Mr. Schellenberg," the statement said.

Canada opposes the death penalty in all cases, the minister added, thanking Australia, France, Germany and the US, whose representatives were present at the court along with Canadian officials.

Schellenberg was arrested in 2014 for planning to smuggle about 227 kilograms (500 pounds) of methamphetamine from China to Australia. The Canadian was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison, but an appeal court in January 2019 sentenced him to death. Although Canada asked China to change the punishment, earlier this day the Liaoning provincial court rejected an appeal and kept the sentence in force.