China changes Canadian's prison sentence to death amid Huawei tensions

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was re-tried at this court in Dalian, which is located in China's northeast province of Liaoning. - Copyright Reuters

By Reuters and Associated Press with NBC News World News

Published on 14/01/2019 - 15:08

Comments

The move comes after Beijing detained two Canadians last month in apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of a Chinese technology executive.

BEIJING — A Chinese court on Monday sentenced a Canadian man to death for drug smuggling after prosecutors said his original 15-year sentence was too lenient.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was detained in 2014. A court in Dalian announced Monday night that after being re-tried he was now facing execution.

The sentence comes after China detained two Canadians in December in apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of a Chinese technology executive.

World news

Canada detained Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States, raising tensions between Canada and China.

Schellenberg was told in court he has the right to appeal within 10 days of receiving the ruling. In a statement, the court alleged he was involved in organized international drug crimes.

Schellenberg was to have been deported after serving his sentence.

Comments