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Sabrina Meng Wanzhou remains in custody in Canada following her arrest in Vancouver last year
Huawei’s chief financial officer, Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, has marked one year spent in a Canadian jail by penning an open letter to her colleagues, thanking them for their continued support.
Wanzhou was arrested on the 1st of December 2018 at Vancouver airport, as US authorities accused Huawei of violating sanctions against Iran. Wanzhou has been fighting extradition to the US from Canada ever since and is currently being detained at a facility in Vancouver.
"The past year has witnessed moments of fear, pain, disappointment, helplessness, torment, and struggle," Wanzhou said in a letter published on Huawei’s website.
"Over the past year, I have also learned to face up to and accept my situation. I’m no longer afraid of the unknown," she added.
Last month, lawyers acting for Ms Wanzhou requested that no television cameras be allowed at her forthcoming extradition hearing, claiming that doing so would increase the chances of the process being undermined by US president Donald Trump.
While Ms Wanzhou made no reference to the forthcoming hearing in her letter, she was at pains to strike a conciliatory tone when discussing her Canadian hosts.
"Of course, I’ve also been deeply moved by the kindness of people here in Canada. Thanks to the kindness of the correctional officers and other inmates at the Alouette Correctional Center for Women, I was able to make it through the worst days of my life. When the judge announced that I was granted bail, the applause in the public gallery made me burst into tears. After a whole night of heavy snow, the security company’s staff were so considerate that they shovelled a path for my elderly mother, filling our hearts with warmth in this cold winter.
"Every time I appeared in court, it added extra work for the staff of the court. I’d like to sincerely thank them for everything they have done," she added.
Ms Wanzhou’s extradition hearing is scheduled to commence on the 20th January 2020.
