B.C. judge denies new evidence in Meng Wanzhou's extradition case

Photo: The Canadian Press

Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, returns to B.C. Supreme Court after a break in her extradition hearing, in Vancouver, on Monday, March 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

A British Columbia Supreme Court judge will not allow new evidence to be admitted in the United States extradition case of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou.

Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes says the application by Meng's lawyers to use the documents obtained from HSBC through a Hong Kong court is denied, with her reasons to follow later.

Lawyers for Meng told the judge in June that the documents include internal email chains and spreadsheets that undermine the allegations of fraud against Meng, proving the U.S. misled the court in its summary of the case against her.

Lawyers for Canada’s attorney general had called on the court to dismiss Meng's application to allow the new evidence in the extradition hearing, saying the argument is more appropriate for her fraud trial expected in the United States, not her extradition hearing in Canada.

Meng is accused of lying to HSBC about Huawei’s control of Skycom, putting the bank at risk of violating American sanctions against Iran.