Canada – The Walrus, July 23, 2025
For over a thousand days, starting in December 2018, China’s government held me hostage in an attempt to blackmail Canada into releasing Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese telecom executive arrested on American criminal charges.
During hundreds of hours of interrogation and false accusations, my captors threatened me with sentences that could extend to life in prison and potentially death. Thankfully, the case against me was purely political, and I had the support of relentless advocates and negotiators who eventually resolved the geopolitical standoff. But I never forget that my fate could have been far worse.
Not everyone has been so fortunate. Earlier this year, China executed four Canadian prisoners, ignoring repeated pleas for clemency from Canadian officials, including the prime minister. Their deaths were kept secret by both governments until the information was leaked to the press on March 19. Mélanie Joly, then foreign minister, confirmed and condemned China’s actions. Amnesty International called the killings “shocking and inhumane” and “a wake-up call for Canada.”
