China overturns Canadian man’s death sentence

February 7, 2026       Comments Off on China overturns Canadian man’s death sentence
China overturns Canadian man’s death sentence

Originally published by Bangkok Post on Feb. 7, 2026

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/3192334/china-overturns-canadian-mans-death-sentence

Death row reversal follows Carney visit and improvement in diplomatic relations

Canadian national Robert Lloyd Schellenberg appears in court where he was sentenced to death for drug smuggling, in Dalian in Liaoning province of China, on Jan 14, 2019. The Supreme People’s Court this week struck down the sentence and ordered a retrial, which lawyers say is unlikely to result in another death sentence. (Image from Reuters TV video)

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Angeli Datt, research and advocacy coordinator at Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said that human rights experts have long suspected that Schellenberg’s death sentence was the result of geopolitical tensions between China and Canada.

“It’s hard to ignore the timing of Carney’s recent visit and this development on his case,” she said. “A retrial is a chance to grant him a fair trial.”

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