Did Canadian authorities violate Meng’s rights before her Vancouver arrest?

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Canadian Authorities Assert Pre-Arrest Actions Were Technical, Not Rights Violations

Government lawyers have argued in court that any procedural errors during the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver airport were technical in nature and do not constitute a violation of her rights sufficient to halt extradition proceedings to the United States. Meng is facing charges in the US for bank fraud and misleading HSBC regarding Huawei's business activities in Iran. Her defence team contends that Canadian officials abused their authority, leading to a violation of her constitutional rights, and is seeking disclosure of government records to support this claim.
Defence Alleges Abuse of Authority in Pre-Arrest Handling

Meng's legal team is seeking various records, including emails and notes, from the Canadian government. They argue that these documents will substantiate their claim that Canadian officials overstepped their authority and violated Meng's rights prior to her arrest on December 1. The defence asserts that if an abuse of authority is proven, the extradition process should be terminated.
Government Cites Technical Errors and Lack of Conspiracy

In response, a prosecutor characterised the defence's efforts as an attempt to construct a narrative of a conspiracy without sufficient evidence. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) acknowledged an "error" in sharing passcodes from Meng's phones with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). However, the CBSA maintained that these passcodes could not be used to access the devices or be presented as evidence, and the RCMP confirmed they did not access, nor intend to access, Meng's phones, stating it was outside the scope of their investigation.
Judicial Scrutiny on Phone Seizure and Handling

The judge presiding over the case questioned the rationale behind border guards seizing and sealing Meng's phones without examining their contents prior to her formal arrest. While the CBSA possessed the authority to seize and seal the devices to prevent remote data wiping, the contents were not reviewed before the phones were transferred to the RCMP. This detail has become a focal point in the defence's argument regarding the sequence and propriety of actions taken.
Disputed Sequence of Arrest and Questioning

Meng's lawyers have argued that the RCMP altered their arrest plans following a meeting between border and police officials, which they contend resulted in a violation of her constitutional rights. Conversely, the prosecution argued that the RCMP had the legal right to postpone Meng's arrest until after she had been questioned by the CBSA upon her arrival at Vancouver's airport, suggesting the sequence of events was permissible.

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Did Canadian authorities violate Meng’s rights before her Vancouver arrest?

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