Huawei's Meng Wengzhou is suing Canada over her arrest at Vancouver airport last year at the request of the United States, which accuses her of breaking international economic sanctions against Iran.

The chief financial officer of controversial Chinese telecommunications firm filed a notice of civil claim in the British Columbia supreme court naming the Canadian government, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA).  She alleges that instead of immediately arresting her, authorities interrogated her "under the guise of a routine customs" examination and used the opportunity to "compel her to provide evidence and information".

The claim says, "This case concerns a deliberate and pre-meditated effort on the part of the defendant officers to obtain evidence and information from the plaintiff in a manner which they knew constituted serious violations of the plaintiff's rights."

The globe-trotting executive is free on bail and barred from leaving Vancouver.  Last week, Canada's Justice Department ruled she could be extradited to the US, but the court cases could take months or even years to resolve.