Canadian judge OKs U.S. extradition case for Weng Wanzhou to proceed

May 27 (UPI) -- A judge in Canada ruled Wednesday that the United States can continue its fight to extradite a senior Huawei executive arrested in 2018 on conspiracy and fraud charges.

British Columbia Supreme Court Judge Heather Holmes said Meng Wanzhou's case meets the criteria to be considered double criminality. Under Canada's Extradition Act, dual criminally states that the offense must be reviewed to ensure that it would be considered a crime if it had taken place Canada.

The United States is seeking Meng's extradition to face allegations she violated U.S. trade sanctions on Iran. Prosecutors accuse Meng of lying to a bank in 2013 about Huawei's relations with an Iranian-based subsidiary.

Holmes said Canada would charge someone for violating sanctions on Iran even though Canada didn't levy the same sanctions on the country.

"Canada's law of fraud looks beyond international boundaries," she wrote in her ruling.

Meng has denied the charges and has filed a countersuit against Canada for unlawful detention, accusing the North American country of violating her rights.

China has repeatedly voiced its support for its citizen, and accused Canada and the United States of abusing their bilateral extradition treaty to "arbitrarily" arrest a Chinese national.