Canadian Court Upholds PR Denial for Chinese Police Couple

A Federal Court judge in Canada has upheld the denial of permanent residency to a Chinese couple, finding reasonable grounds to believe the husband, a senior police officer in China, was complicit in crimes against humanity due to his supervisory role in a system known for widespread torture.

The ruling, issued last Friday following a hearing in Saskatoon, dismissed an application for judicial review by Li Li, who sought Canadian permanent residency in 2016 on behalf of herself, her unnamed husband and their child. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada denied the application in September 2024, citing the husband's 30-year career with the Public Security Bureau in Hebei province.

According to the court decision, the husband informed immigration officials that he had supervised as many as 150 people and overseen investigations, interrogations and detentions throughout his tenure. He maintained that he never abused or mistreated suspects, emphasizing that his responsibilities focused on ensuring interrogations adhered to the law.

The immigration officer's rejection letter highlighted concerns over systemic human rights violations in China, including torture during...