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Friday, 29 March 2024

Huawei's top executive faces extradition hearing

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Huawei's top executive faces extradition hearing
Huawei's top executive faces extradition hearing

Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, arrived in a Vancouver courtroom wearing a dark top with polka dots, for the first phase of a trial that will last at least four days, as China repeated its call for Canada to release her.

Olivia Chan reports.

In Canada, the first stage of extradition hearings for a top Huawei executive kicked off Monday (January 21).

Meng Wanzhou is the company's chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder.

She faces allegations in the U.S. of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran, violating American sanctions.

China has called Meng's arrest "politically motivated." Soon after her arrest, Beijing detained two Canadians who are still under arrest in China.

This week's hearing focuses on whether Meng's alleged crimes in the U.S. are also illegal in Canada.

Meng's defense say the central issue is so called "double criminality", as in, charges she is accused in the U.S. must also be considered crimes in Canada.

Meng's lawyers argue the case is founded on allegations of breaching U.S. sanctions against Iran.

But, Canada has rejected those same sanctions.

So, they argue Meng can't be extradited.

For now, she remains free on bail.

Legal expert says it could be years before a final decision is reached as appeals can be made in the Canadian justice system.

Meanwhile, Meng remains in limbo.

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