Schellenberg’s lawyer, Zhang Dongshuo, confirmed that the ruling was issued on Friday and said the case will now be sent back for retrial to the Liaoning high people’s court in north-eastern China. No date has yet been set for the new trial. Schellenberg has been detained in the city of Dalian since 2014 on drug-related charges, which he has consistently denied.
The Canadian was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison, but in January 2019 a court dramatically increased the penalty to death following a one-day retrial, ruling that the original sentence had been too lenient. The decision drew international criticism, with Amnesty International describing it as a “flagrant violation of international law.” The case became emblematic of the sharp deterioration in China–Canada relations following the 2018 arrest in Vancouver of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States.
Relations worsened further when Beijing detained two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, on espionage charges that Ottawa denounced as retaliatory. All three cases were partially resolved in 2021, when Meng was allowed to return to China and Spavor and Kovrig were released and flown back to Canada.
In a statement, Canada’s foreign ministry said it was aware of the supreme court’s decision and would continue to provide consular assistance to Schellenberg and his family. The ministry reiterated that Canada advocates for clemency in all cases involving its citizens facing the death penalty abroad. The ruling comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney pursues closer economic engagement with Beijing, seeking to diversify Canada’s trade partnerships amid ongoing strains with the United States.
