China Holds 97 Canadians in Prison: Global Affairs Canada

A guard tries to block photos being taken as he and a policeman patrol outside the Canadian Embassy in Beijing on Jan. 14, 2019. Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images

China holds 97 Canadians in prison, surpassing those held by any other foreign state except the United States, according to Canadian government records. Citing privacy reasons, Global Affairs Canada declined to reveal specifics on individual cases due to potential concerns about their human rights.

In an Inquiry of Ministry dated Dec. 12, the government acknowledged that China is detaining 93 Canadians, while Hong Kong holds four, as first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter. The disclosure came in response to questions posed by Conservative MP Garnett Genuis in the House of Commons on Oct. 25, asking, “How many Canadian citizens are detained or incarcerated abroad?”

Only the United States surpasses China in the number of Canadians in custody, with 557 individuals incarcerated. Coming after China, Australia ranks third with 28 Canadians detained, and Japan closely follows with 24 individuals. In addition, there are 16 Canadians being held in the United Kingdom, 12 in France, and nine in Turkey. According to the Inquiry, a total of 910 Canadians are in foreign custody globally, including nine Canadians who are held by non-state actors.

Mr. Genuis further sought information on how many of these Canadians detained overseas were held in circumstances that violated their human rights. In response, Global Affairs Canada invoked the Privacy Act, saying that in preparing parliamentary returns, it is “not in a position to provide the requested information due to privacy concerns.”

“Cases of potential violation of human rights are inherently sensitive, and disclosure of case information can have significant negative repercussions on the detained individual,” Global Affairs stated in the document.

The department added that it has established Protocols to Respond to Allegations of Mistreatment or Torture Arising in Consular Cases. These protocols apply to consular cases in which a Canadian citizen alleges, or a consular official suspects, that the citizen was tortured or mistreated by local officials while detained in a foreign country.

Arrests

After the release of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in 2021—a notable case of Canadians being arbitrarily detained by the Chinese regime—critics of Beijing have expressed concerns about the remaining 115 Canadians that the foreign affairs department said were held in Chinese prisons at the time, especially those facing human rights persecution.

In a 2021 interview with The Epoch Times, former Liberal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler highlighted the case of Canadian citizen Sun Qian. Ms. Sun is a Vancouver-based businesswoman arrested while visiting China in 2017 for practising Falun Gong, a self-cultivation discipline involving meditative exercises and moral teachings based on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

Ms. Sun’s lawyers and family members reported that she faced torture and brainwashing sessions while in police custody. On June 30, 2020, a Beijing court sentenced her to eight years in prison. She reportedly renounced her Canadian citizenship in the process.

Mr. Cotler also referenced the case of Huseyin Celil, a Canadian citizen and Uyghur human rights activist who has been detained by Chinese authorities since 2006. According to Amnesty International, Mr. Celil, who was jailed for supporting Uyghurs and had fled China in 2001, was in Uzbekistan in 2006. Upon learning this, the Chinese regime requested the Uzbek police to arrest him and subsequently had him extradited to China.

Amnesty International also alleged that the Chinese authorities falsely accused Mr. Celil of serious offences, denying him access to a lawyer, his family, or Canadian officials. Chinese authorities reportedly refused to acknowledge Mr. Celil’s status as a Canadian citizen and barred Canadian officials from attending his trial.

Warnings

In a 2020 interview with Ottawa Life Magazine, Cong Peiwu, the Chinese ambassador to Canada, denied Canadian media reports of Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor experiencing “harsh treatment” during their incarceration, including sleep deprivation.

Mr. Cong, in a separate 2020 interview with the periodical Ottawa Life Magazine, said Canadians jailed in China did not receive “harsh treatment, ” and media were to blame for depicting China as a police state. “Some Canadian media out of the motive to seek attention distort the truth about China which has misled the Canadian public,” said Mr. Cong.

Mr. Genuis has also inquired about the number of Canadian citizens detained for offences that would not be considered crimes if committed in Canada, as well as the government’s efforts to secure their release. Global Affairs Canada responded, stating it “does not track this information and therefore cannot provide statistics.”

“Canadians who are travelling and residing abroad are subject to the laws of the country in which they are located,” Global Affairs said. “Legal nuances and intricacies related to different definitions and legal systems make direct comparisons of many charges complex.”

The Government of Canada’s travel advisory website currently advises Canadians to “exercise a high degree of caution” when travelling to China, which indicates that there are specific safety and security concerns, or the situation may change rapidly.

The government also cautions Canadians about the Chinese regime’s restrictions against foreign journalists, noting instances of arrests on claims of national security violations. It warns that Chinese authorities may adopt measures such as movement controls, physical and electronic surveillance, public smear campaigns, delays or refusals of press card and visa renewals, and even instances of intimidation and harassment.

Isaac Teo contributed to this report.