On March 19, 2025, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed that China executed four Canadian citizens earlier this year. These individuals were dual nationals, holding both Canadian and Chinese citizenship, and were convicted of drug-related offenses in China. Joly strongly condemned the executions, stating that Canada opposes the death penalty in all cases, calling it “irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity.” She and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had personally appealed to Chinese authorities for leniency, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa defended the executions, asserting that the evidence against the individuals was “solid and sufficient” and that their judicial process adhered to the law, fully guaranteeing the rights of those involved. China does not recognize dual citizenship, treating the executed individuals solely as Chinese nationals. The embassy emphasized China’s strict “zero tolerance” policy toward drug crimes, though specific details about the cases were not disclosed.
Ottawa has not released the identities of the four individuals at the request of their families, who are receiving consular assistance from Global Affairs Canada. The executions have heightened tensions between Canada and China, already strained by past incidents like the 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada and the subsequent detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China. Recent trade disputes, including tariffs on Canadian goods in retaliation for levies on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum, have further complicated relations.
This development has drawn criticism from human rights groups like Amnesty International, which called the executions
shocking and inhumane,” urging Canada to intensify efforts to protect its citizens abroad, including Robert Schellenberg, another Canadian currently on death row in China for drug smuggling. The exact dates of the executions remain unspecified, but they occurred sometime in 2025 prior to March 19.