Huawei lawyers to focus on witness refusal to testify in US extradition
March 22, 2021, 10:48 am

Huawei lawyers to focus on witness refusal to testify in US extradition

Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou reaches into her bag for a face mask as she leaves her home to attend a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada March 15, 2021. (File Photo: Reuters)

Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou’s US extradition hearings on Monday are expected to focus on a former Canadian police officer who refused to testify despite being a key witness to the core allegations that Canadian and American authorities inappropriately coordinated Meng’s arrest.Meng, 49, is accused by the United States of misleading HSBC about Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s business dealings in Iran, causing the bank to break US sanctions. Meng says she is innocent and is fighting her extradition from house arrest in Vancouver. If extradited, Meng will face trial for bank fraud in the United States.

The defense has argued that abuses of process, including alleged coordination between Canadian and American authorities during her detainment, should invalidate the extradition.

Canadian border officials questioned Meng for three hours before federal police arrested her on a US warrant in December 2018. Border officials seized Meng’s electronic devices and they later admitted to have given the passcodes to police in error.

On Friday defense lawyer Scott Fenton told the British Columbia Supreme Court judge that he would begin on Monday by questioning why Ben Chang, an ex-Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer they allege passed identifying details of Meng’s electronic devices to the FBI, has not been forced to testify.

Last week, Fenton and another defense lawyer Mona Duckett disputed the stated motives of Canadian border officials when they were questioning Meng before her arrest by police, arguing that they were carrying out a covert investigation for the FBI.

Canadian officials testified in November and December 2020 that they were following normal procedures. Lawyers for the Canadian government have called the defense team’s argument an unfounded “conspiracy,” and stated that officials on both sides of the border followed due processes.

Meng’s arrest has chilled diplomatic ties between China and Canada. Shortly after Meng’s arrest, Beijing detained two Canadians on espionage charges. The trial of Michael Spavor ended on Friday, while that of Michael Kovrig will start on Monday.

source: Reuters

Image source: Reuters

Levant

India to increase interval between doses of AstraZeneca shot UAE records 1,871 new COVID-19 cases as recoveries rise by over 2,000

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”