Meng Wanzhou extradition given “Authority to Proceed”

On 20 August 2019, in Vancouver, Attorneys acting for Meng Wanzhou attempted to halt her extradition case on the grounds that she was unlawfully detained by the US and Canadian authorities. Ms Wanzhou’s legal team claim that US and Canadian officials planned a “covert criminal investigation” to unlawfully detain, search and interrogate her. They claim that her arrest was deliberately delayed in order to give Canadian Border Agents the opportunity to detain her under the false pretence of a “routine immigration check” and gather evidence “to assist the FBI and other US authorities.” The claims made by Ms Wanzhou’s legal representatives amount to an allegation that the Canadian Border Agents misrepresented the grounds on which Ms Wanzhou was being detained and abused their search powers to assist the FBI investigation into Ms Wanzhou’s activities as the Chief Financial Officer of Huawei.
During the hearing on 20 August 2019, Ms Wanzhou’s attorneys also sought the disclosure of documents related to her detention, including emails and texts from several Canadian police officers, border agents and members of the US Department of Justice.

These new claims come after Ms Wanzhou filed a civil lawsuit against the Canadian authorities in March 2019 in which she alleged that she was unlawfully detained and searched when she was arrested by Canadian Border Agents on 1 December 2018.

You can find more about the background to the case here.