LIVE: Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's extradition hearing starts today in Vancouver
Credit to Author: Canadian Press| Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2020 18:22:42 +0000
A court hearing begins today in Vancouver over the American request to extradite an executive of the Chinese telecom giant Huawei on fraud charges.
The arrest of Meng Wanzhou in 2018 fractured relations between Canada and China.
Wearing a black coat over a printed black dress with her electronic ankle bracelet on display, Meng arrived at the Vancouver courthouse accompanied by several members of her security detail and was escorted into the Vancouver courtroom.
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020.
She was wearing a pair of Manolo Blahnik-designed black satin jewelled pumps that retail for nearly $1,200.
Meanwhile, a long lineup of reporters and members of the general public were still waiting for the sheriffs to allow them into the courtroom for the extradition hearing, which was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
The hearing is being held in the high-security courtroom built for the Air India trial. The courtroom was packed with only standing room available.
Meng is seated in the prisoner’s dock, examining a document in her hands. Her team of lawyers is seated just in front of her.
Meng is given permission by Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes to move from the prisoner’s dock to a desk directly behind her lawyers to enhance her ability to get a Mandarin translation of the proceedings.
The judge then formally opened the extradition hearing.
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is greeted by a member of her security as she leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou walks with a member of her security as she leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
The ankle monitor of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is visible as she leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou walks with a member of her security as she leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Media photograph a vehicle driving Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou from her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou greets the media as she leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
The ankle monitor of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is visible as she leaves her home to attend the start of her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her Vancouver home to begin her extradition hearing in British Columbia Supreme Court, on January 20, 2020 in Vancouver, British Colombia. – The chief financial officer of China's Huawei arrived Monday morning at a Canadian court for the start of a hearing for her extradition to the United States. Meng Wanzhou wore a black dress that exposed an electronic ankle bracelet that authorities ordered her to wear as a condition of her release from custody. She made no comment on entering the court. (Photo by Don MacKinnon / AFP)
Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her Vancouver home to begin her extradition hearing in British Columbia Supreme Court, on January 20, 2020 in Vancouver, British Colombia. – The chief financial officer of China's Huawei arrived Monday morning at a Canadian court for the start of a hearing for her extradition to the United States. Meng Wanzhou wore a black dress that exposed an electronic ankle bracelet that authorities ordered her to wear as a condition of her release from custody. She made no comment on entering the court. (Photo by Don MacKinnon / AFP)
Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her Vancouver home to begin her extradition hearing in British Columbia Supreme Court, on January 20, 2020 in Vancouver, British Colombia. – The chief financial officer of China's Huawei arrived Monday morning at a Canadian court for the start of a hearing for her extradition to the United States. Meng Wanzhou wore a black dress that exposed an electronic ankle bracelet that authorities ordered her to wear as a condition of her release from custody. She made no comment on entering the court. (Photo by Don MacKinnon / AFP)
Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her Vancouver home to begin her extradition hearing in British Columbia Supreme Court, on January 20, 2020 in Vancouver, British Colombia. – The chief financial officer of China's Huawei arrived Monday morning at a Canadian court for the start of a hearing for her extradition to the United States. Meng Wanzhou wore a black dress that exposed an electronic ankle bracelet that authorities ordered her to wear as a condition of her release from custody. She made no comment on entering the court. (Photo by Don MacKinnon / AFP)
A protester holds a picture of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, two Canadians detained in China, and a large sign against China's Uighur camps outside the home of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou before her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Protesters hold a large sign against China's Uighur camps, labeled as vocational training centres by the Chinese government, outside the home of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou before her extradition hearing at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
At issue at this week’s hearing is the legal test of double criminality, meaning if the allegations are also a crime in Canada then Meng should be extradited to the United States.
Meng is accused of lying to a bank about a Huawei subsidiary’s business in Iran, putting the financial institution at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against the country.
Her lawyers have argued that the allegations do not amount to fraud and Canada does not have similar sanctions against Iran.
Meng, who’s free on bail and living in one of her two multimillion-dollar homes in Vancouver, denies the allegations.
If the B.C. Supreme Court judge decides the legal test has not been met, Meng will be free to leave Canada, though she’ll still have to stay out of the U.S. to avoid the charges.
If the judge finds there is double criminality, the hearing will proceed to a second phase.
That phase, scheduled for June, will consider defence allegations that Meng’s rights were violated during her arrest at Vancouver’s airport.
China has detained two Canadians and restricted some imports including canola, moves that are widely seen as retaliation for Meng’s arrest.
A crowd of onlookers, Meng supporters and international media started gathering outside the Vancouver courthouse early Monday morning.
CLICK HERE to report a typo.
Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.