THE Foreign Ministry yesterday expressed strong dissatisfaction after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused China of “arbitrarily” sentencing a Canadian to death for drug smuggling, slamming the remark for lacking “basic spirit of rule of law.”

“Drug crimes are recognized as serious crimes in the world and are extremely hazardous to society. Every country cracks down on such crime, so does China,” FM spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular daily briefing.  “All are equal before the law, that’s the spirit of rule of law.”

“We urge Canada to respect rule of law and Chinese judicial sovereignty and stop making irresponsible remarks,” Hua said.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, a Canadian national convicted of smuggling over 222 kg of methamphetamines, was sentenced to death Monday at Dalian Intermediate People’s Court in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province.

All of his assets will also be confiscated, said the court.

The court discovered that in October 2014, a person surnamed Xu was hired by Schellenberg’s accomplices as a translator, before receiving 20 tons of plastic granules containing 222 bags of methamphetamines from Guangdong Province.

On Nov. 19, Schellenberg met with Xu in Dalian and made preparations to smuggle the drugs to Australia.

On Nov. 29, Xu reported the case to the police.

Schellenberg was arrested Dec. 1 that year in Guangzhou while attempting to flee to Thailand.

On Nov. 20, 2018, Schellenberg was sentenced to 15 years in jail by Dalian Intermediate People’s Court, ordered to pay 150,000 yuan (US$22,200) and bound for deportation. He appealed afterward.

On Dec. 29, the Liaoning Provincial Higher People’s Court remanded the case for retrial. The Dalian People’s Procuratorate later provided more evidence related to the case.

The court Monday determined that Schellenberg took part in organized international drug smuggling, which is a crime punishable by death in China.

The court ruled that Schellenberg was the prime culprit and sentenced him to death based on the facts, nature, circumstances and severe social damage of the crime in accordance with the Criminal Law of China.

While announcing the judgment, the presiding judge informed the defendant of his right to appeal the case within 10 days.

In accordance with the rules, before the trial, the court informed the Canadian Embassy in China of the trial, which had officials present at the court.

Also on Monday, Hua said Canada’s criticism of China’s detention of two Canadian citizens is groundless, noting one of them has no “diplomatic immunity.” Coercive measures have been taken against two Canadians suspected of jeopardizing China’s national security. Trudeau on Friday accused China of ignoring the “diplomatic immunity” of Michael Kovrig when the former Canadian diplomat was detained last month.

Hua said that Kovrig is not a diplomat and he came to China with an ordinary passport and business visa. (SD-Xinhua)

(Xinhua)

(Xinhua)