New York: Ottawa on Wednesday condemned the execution of four Canadian nationals in China in relation to drug charges.
“There are four Canadians that have been executed and therefore we’re strongly condemning what happened,” Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly told journalists.
Joly said she would not release details upon request by the families, but did say “they were all facing charges linked to criminal activities - according to China - linked to drugs.
“We will continue to engage with China, as we will continue to not only strongly condemn but also ask for leniency for other Canadians that are facing similar situations,” Joly said.
China’s embassy in Ottawa told Canadian broadcaster CBC News in an email that “whoever violates the law of China must be held accountable in accordance with the law.” “China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a ‘zero-tolerance’ attitude toward the drug problem,” the embassy told the broadcaster. (DPA)
