Brittney Griner vs Meng Wanzhou's Case

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The news that U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner got a nine year prison sentence in Russia for drug smuggling and possession, might tempt Canadians to compare it to Meng Wanzhou’s case.


You might know about it, if you carry a Huawei phone or Mediapad. Meng is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Huawei, China’s biggest phone manufacturer. She was  under house arrest in Canada since 2018, until her release in 2021.

Why? The United States wanted Canada to hand her over so that America could try her in court for breaking U.S. sanctions against Iran. Did the U.S. have proof? They maintained it is in a Power Point presentation Meng made to a Hong Kong bank in 2013.

Why did Canada want to hand her over? The two countries have an Extradition Treaty which allows them to hand over people who committed crimes in their countries, ‘provided these offenses are punishable by the laws of both Contracting Parties by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.’

Brittney’s case is different for one main reason. Russia and America do not have an extradition treaty for the simple reason that they are poles apart ideologically. Extradition treaties are between friends, countries that have the same world view politically, economically and religiously.

In Brittney’s case, she was tried individually under domestic law of the country she was visiting. Meng on the other hand did not break any Canadian law. Russia caught Brittney with the substance, detained and tried her immediately, in 2022. With Meng, the U.S. wanted her for something that happened in 2013, and involved international law.

Therefore, calls for President Biden to intervene for Brittney are fruitless without an extradition treaty. Despite the existence of a treaty, Meng’s case was contentious. Some sections of the population felt the U.S. was the bully treating Canada, like some American state.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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