AFP

Ottawa (AFP) – Canada’s justice department on Friday began the process of extraditing Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou to the United States to face criminal charges related to alleged Iran sanctions violations.

The Huawei chief financial officer was arrested at Washington’s request on December 1 as she changed planes in Vancouver.

“Today, Department of Justice Canada officials issued an Authority to Proceed, formally commencing an extradition process in the case of Ms. Meng Wanzhou,” said a statement.

The decision, it said, “follows a thorough and diligent review of the evidence in this case,” which was found to be “sufficient” to warrant putting the matter before an extradition judge to decide.

Meng is expected to appear in court on March 6 when prosecutors will present the evidence against her and lay out “detailed arguments” for her extradition.

At the end of the process, if a judge orders an extradition, the attorney general would have the final say on whether or not to hand her over to US authorities.