VANCOUVER—Media flooded the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver on Friday morning as an international scandal continued to unfold: the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei. A publication ban on the case was also lifted, putting an end to speculation about why Meng was arrested while transferring flights in Vancouver on Dec. 1 at the request of authorities in the United States. Meng appeared in court for a bail hearing to determine whether she will remain in custody while the U.S. seeks her extradition from Canada. Meng, wearing a green sweater, appeared relaxed in the courtroom, even sharing a laugh with her lawyer.A warrant from authorities in New York contains allegations that Meng knew Huawei was operating as a company called SkyCom to do business in Iran, counter to United States sanctions on the country.When banks expressed concern about the relationship between Huawei and SkyCom, Meng personally told them the two companies were separate, which they are not, according to a 2013 Reuters report.Crown prosecutors argued Meng has no meaningful connection to Vancouver and access to “vast” resources and connections, making moot any amount of bail or surety she could provide in exchange for her freedom.Read more:What we know and don’t know about the arrest of Huawei CFO Wanzhou MengHuawei arrest fuels anxiety over the security of Canada’s 5G dealingsTrudeau says he had nothing to do with the arrest of Chinese executive in VancouverThe Crown further argued Meng has shown a pattern of avoiding the United States, suggesting she suspected an investigation was taking place. Meng was arrested in Vancouver while transferring from her Hong Kong flight to one bound for Mexico, the court heard.Vancouver immigration lawyer Richard Kurland said the bail review will likely take weeks. The extradition hearings themselves could take years, depending on whether there are appeals, he said.“You ...
|
