Vancouver (AFP)

A Canadian judge agreed on Tuesday that a video and other documents related to the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer in Vancouver in early December in Vancouver, causing a serious diplomatic crisis between Ottawa and Beijing, will be broadcast to the media.

In a brief hearing, the judge validated a request from the Chinese telecom giant Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested on December 1 at the Vancouver airport at the request of the United States, who is demanding her extradition, according to an AFP journalist on the spot. The leader was not present in court.

His lawyers are challenging the conditions of his arrest at the airport. They say that their client was interrogated for several hours by the authorities without knowing why, in violation of his rights, according to them.

The documents leaked to several media on Tuesday are a series of sworn statements summarizing the defense's arguments, as well as a video showing Ms. Meng for the first time at the airport on the day of her arrest.

Judge Heather Holmes agreed that these documents be published before the next hearing in this case, scheduled for 23 September, a "somewhat unusual" procedure, justified in her view by the "very great public interest".

"Transparency serves the best interests of justice in this case," she also said.

Meng Wanzhou's lawyers, accused by the United States of wanting to circumvent US sanctions against Iran, intend to use the evidence during the technical hearings that will begin on September 23 in Vancouver, they said Tuesday.

The first set of hearings that will address the merits of the extradition request will begin on January 20, 2020.

Meng Wanzhou was released a few days after his arrest, on bail of 10 million Canadian dollars (6.6 million euros), the wearing of an electronic bracelet and the delivery of his passports. She currently lives in one of her Vancouver properties.

In the days following Ms. Meng's arrest, China had arrested former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and fellow consultant Michael Spavor on suspicion of spying. It also sentenced to death two other Canadians found guilty of drug trafficking and blocked Canadian deliveries of rapeseed and meat.

Ottawa has never ceased to demand the release of MM. Kovrig and Spavor, whom she considers "arbitrary" detentions.

© 2019 AFP