HAMILTON, Canada

Canada on Wednesday "strongly" condemned China's execution orders on Canadian nationals earlier this year.

"Global Affairs Canada can confirm it is aware that, earlier this year, Canadians were executed in the People’s Republic of China," spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod told Anadolu in a statement.

Expressing strong condemnation of "China's use of the death penalty, which is irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity," Ottawa reiterated its call for "clemency for these individuals at the senior-most levels."

The statement stressed that Canada "remains steadfast in its opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases, everywhere."

"Canada continues to advocate for clemency for Robert Schellenberg and provides him and his family consular assistance," it added, without sharing additional information about those executed by China.

Canada and China have had frosty relations since late 2018 when Canada detained senior Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the US, who accused her of violating sanctions on Iran. The move led to Beijing's arresting Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig -- referred to as the "two Michaels" -- on allegations of spying.

​​​​​​​Schellenberg was convicted in China on drug charges and sentenced to 15 years in November 2018. But, following Meng’s detention, he was retried in January 2019 and sentenced to death.

The death penalty remains a significant aspect of the judicial system in China, with high-profile cases drawing attention to its application.