China rejects Canada´s plea for clemency for Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, sentenced to death for drug trafficking
(The Star Theatre)

OTTAWA—The Chinese government has rejected the Trudeau government’s appeal for clemency for Robert Lloyd Schellenberg whose15-year jail sentence on drug trafficking was converted on Monday to the death penalty.In a news conference in Beijing, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying turned aside Canada’s criticism of China’s hastily-convened judicial appeal where Schellenberg was ordered to face execution — a sentence Trudeau condemned as “arbitrary� and the Liberal government has sought to suspend.In Beijing, Hua called it “highly irresponsible of the Canadian leader to use ‘arbitrary’ to describe China’s trial,� according to an English transcript posted on the government website. The government spokeswoman said the Chinese court is independent, acted according to its rules and its decision on Schellenberg would stand.Trudeau’s Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland had directly conveyed Canada’s request for clemency to Beijing’s ambassador in Ottawa, calling the death penalty “inhumane and inappropriate.�But Hua — echoing Trudeau’s defence of Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on an extradition request from the U.S. — said China’s government would not interfere in the judicial proceedings against Schellenberg.“China is a country governed by law. In accordance with the provisions of the constitution, the people’s courts and the people’s procuratorates shall independently exercise the judicial and procuratorial powers respectively in accordance with the provisions of the law, free from any interference from administrative organs.�China’s rejection of Canada’s plea comes as the U.S. State Department slammed China’s death sentence against the Canadian man as “politically motivated� and reinforced the Trump administration’s intention to proceed with demand ...