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WORLD NEWS Thursday 28 May 2020
Canada judge rules Huawei CFO's extradition case can proceed

By JIM MORRIS work gear for phone and
Associated Press internet companies and
VANCOUVER, British Co- some analysts say Chinese
lumbia (AP) — A Canadian companies have flouted in-
judge ruled Wednesday ternational rules and norms
the U.S. extradition case amid allegations of tech-
against a senior Huawei nology theft. The company
executive can proceed to represents China's progress
the next stage, a decision in becoming a technologi-
that is expected to further cal power and has been
harm relations between a subject of U.S. security
China and Canada. concerns. Ahead of the
Canada arrested Chi- decision, Meng posed for
na's Meng Wanzhou, the photos on the court steps
daughter of Huawei's this past weekend, giving a
founder and chief financial thumbs up sign. She showed
officer of the company, at up to court on Wednesday
Vancouver's airport in late wearing a black dress and
2018. The U.S. wants her wearing an ankle bracelet.
extradited to face fraud "Huawei is disappointed in
charges. Her arrest infuri- the ruling," Huawei said in
ated Beijing, which sees her a statement. "We expect
case as a political move Canada's judicial system
designed to prevent Chi- In this Jan. 21, 2020, file photo, Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who is out on bail will ultimately prove Ms.
na's rise. Associate Chief and remains under partial house arrest after she was detained last year at the behest of American Meng's innocence."
authorities, leaves her home to attend a hearing in British Columbia Supreme Court, in Vancouver,
Justice Heather Holmes British Columbia. Canada's Justice Depart-
said in her decision the al- Associated Press ment said in a statement
legations against Meng that a judge at further hear-
could constitute a crime maintain that since Can- damentally contrary to Ca- already damaged relations ings will determine whether
in Canada as well and the ada does not have similar nadian values." Her legal between Beijing and Otta- or not Meng's alleged con-
extradition could therefore sanctions against Iran, no team is scheduled to be wa. In apparent retaliation duct provides sufficient
proceed. The U.S. accuses fraud occurred under its back in court June 3 to set for Meng's arrest, China de- evidence of fraud to meet
Huawei of using a Hong laws. "Ms. Meng's approach dates for when her lawyers tained former Canadian the test for extradition. "An
Kong shell company to sell to the double criminality will argue that Canada diplomat Michael Kovrig independent judge will de-
equipment to Iran in viola- analysis would seriously limit Border Services, the Royal and Canadian entrepre- termine whether that test is
tion of U.S. sanctions. It says Canada's ability to fulfill its Canadian Mounted Police neur Michael Spavor. Chi- met. This speaks to the in-
Meng, 48, committed fraud international obligations in and the FBI violated Meng's na has also placed restric- dependence of Canada's
by misleading the HSBC the extradition context for rights while collecting evi- tions on various Canadian extradition process," the
bank about the company's fraud and other economic dence before she was exports to China, including statement said. "The Min-
business dealings in Iran. crimes," Holmes wrote. Hol- actually arrested. Extradi- canola oil seed. China also ister does not personally
Meng's lawyers argued mes said Canada did not tion cases typically take handed a death sentence make any decisions related
during a hearing in January have economic sanctions years in Canada. The ruling to a convicted Canadian to an extradition proceed-
that the case is really about against Iran at the time but against Meng, the com- drug smuggler in a sudden ing until and unless the
U.S. sanctions against Iran, noted the sanctions used pany's chief financial of- retrial. Huawei is the big- judge commits the person
not a fraud case. They by the U.S. "were not fun- ficer, is expected to erode gest global supplier of net- for extradition."q

Belgium, France: 26 arrests over ring linked with UK deaths

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN handled mainly by Britain, overheating in an en-
Associated Press of having made possible closed space. The victims
BRUSSELS (AP) — Judicial a transport in a refriger- came from impoverished
authorities in Belgium and ated truck, discovered on villages in Vietnam and
France on Wednesday an- the night of 22 to 23 Octo- are believed to have paid
nounced the arrests of 26 ber 2019 by the British po- smugglers to take them on
people suspected of tak- lice in an industrial area in the risky journey to better
ing part in a human traf- Grays," the federal public lives abroad.
ficking network involved prosecutor's office said in Last month, the truck driv-
in the deaths of 39 Viet- Brussels.One inquiry was er pleaded guilty to man-
namese migrants found in launched in France follow- slaughter at a London
a refrigerated truck's con- ing the investigation into court.
tainer in Britain last year. the deaths of the migrants. In Belgium, the federal
They said a series of early Police investigating the public prosecutor's of-
morning raids took place case found the 31 male fice said the investigation In this Wednesday Oct. 23, 2019 file photo, forensic police
simultaneously in Belgium and eight female victims quickly established the officers attend the scene after a truck was found to contain a
and France on Tuesday as were all from Vietnam and route taken by the victims large number of dead bodies, in Grays, South England.
part of legal investigations ranged in age from 15 to before they got into the Associated Press
targeting the large crimi- 44, including three minors. truck and said some of Tuesday's large police by the European Union
nal network. Police said the migrants them had stayed in Bel- operation was organized crime agency Eurojust that
"That organization is nota- died from a combination gium before their depar- with a trans-border investi- included Belgium, France,
bly suspected, in a case of a lack of oxygen and ture. gation team coordinated the U.K and Ireland. q