Meng Wanzhou case: Actions of RCMP, border officers at centre of latest hearing

The actions of RCMP and Canadian border officers in the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou were at the centre of her extradition case today as it resumed in B.C. Supreme Court.

Meng was arrested in December 2018 at Vancouver’s airport at the request of U.S. officials to face fraud charges related to American sanctions against Iran.

Her lawyers argued today that Meng’s rights were violated when she was held for three hours by Canada Border Services Agency officers before being informed of her arrest and her right to a lawyer.

Canadian police prioritized demands from the FBI over the rights of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou “at nearly every turn” during her investigation and arrest, Meng’s lawyers said on Wednesday.

Defense lawyer Tony Paisana said authorities on both sides of the border failed in their duties to conduct themselves honorably and transparently, listing many alleged violations of Meng’s rights in submissions to the court on Wednesday.

Paisana said U.S. authorities made misrepresentations in their request for her extradition, that Canadian police disregarded an order to arrest Meng immediately, that her devices were seized without proper authority, and her device passcodes were improperly obtained.

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“What we say animated much of this misconduct was an overarching preoccupation on the part of Canadian authorities to appease and otherwise comply with demands received from the FBI,” Paisana said. “At nearly every turn, the authorities prioritized U.S. requests over Ms. Meng’s rights,” he added.

Meng and Huawei deny the allegations made by the United States.

She is the telecom giant’s chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder, Ren Zhengfei.

— With files from Reuters