[ad_1]
VANCOUVER: A senior executive at Chinese communications giant Huawei Technologies has been denied access to most of the documents that her lawyers hoped to use to help prevent her extradition to the United States.
Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei’s founder and the company’s chief financial officer, at the Vancouver airport in late 2018. The United States wants her extradited to face fraud charges. His arrest enraged Beijing.
The United States accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company called Skycom to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. It says Meng, 48, committed fraud by misleading HSBC bank about the company’s business in Iran.
During a hearing last month, Meng’s attorneys argued that information redacted in some 40 documents could help claim that she was illegally detained, searched, or interrogated as part of a plan between Canadian and US authorities to have Agency officials Canada Border Services abuse their powers to covertly. collect evidence for the FBI.
Attorneys for the Canadian government argued that the documents were protected by attorney-client privilege.
In a decision published Friday, Deputy Judge Heather Holmes upheld the claims of privilege asserted by the Attorney General, except for a single email.
The Canadian Department of Justice said in a statement that attorney-client privilege and litigation are fundamental principles that protect the ability of individuals, businesses, and governments to seek legal advice confidentially.
“Canada respects the decision made by Deputy Judge Holmes and the judicial process that led to this decision,” the statement said.
In May, Meng failed in an attempt to end the extradition process when Holmes ruled that the charges against her could also constitute a crime in Canada.
Meng is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 26 for a hearing on whether his arrest and detention were carried out legally, which will include witness testimony from the RCMP and the Canadian Border Service Agency.
Meng’s arrest has soured relations between Canada and China. In apparent retaliation, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian businessman Michael Spavor. China has also placed restrictions on several Canadian exports to China, including canola oil seed. China also sentenced to death four Canadians convicted of drug trafficking.
Meng remains free on bail in Vancouver.
