A Canadian individual suspected of espionage at the NATO military headquarters in Belgium is set to be detained until her trial, which could be a year or more in the future. Biwei Zhang, aged 33, will stay in custody following a denial of her release appeal by a Belgian judge on Monday. The federal prosecutor’s office confirmed the extension of Zhang’s pretrial detention for an additional month.
Zhang is required to appear before a judge regularly, with monthly intervals for the first three months and bi-monthly thereafter, to assess the necessity of her pretrial detention. Due to the gravity of the accusations and concerns about potential flight risks, legal experts suggest it is improbable that Zhang will be granted release before the trial.
A criminal law professor at KU Leuven in Belgium, Frank Verbruggen, explained that if the case against Zhang is substantial, obtaining pretrial release will be challenging. The trial proceedings are not expected to commence until at least next year. Unlike Canadian courts, Belgian courts do not disclose the names of criminal defendants until the trial.
Zhang, also known as Claire and Catina, was apprehended on July 24 after being accused by Belgian authorities of spying for a third country and participating in a criminal group. Sources have indicated that the suspected third country is China, an assertion vehemently opposed by the Chinese embassy in Canada.
The espionage allegations against Zhang are anticipated to be a pivotal case for Belgian courts as the definitions of espionage were revised in 2024 to encompass contemporary methods of intelligence gathering. Espionage cases are infrequent, with authorities often opting for surveillance over prosecution.
The incident has prompted a review of Canada’s security screening processes. Prime Minister Mark Carney affirmed Canadian involvement in the investigation but disclosed limited details due to the ongoing nature of the case. The House of Commons standing committee on public safety and national security will convene to scrutinize the screening procedures following the espionage allegations.
Before relocating to Europe, Zhang held positions at Canadian government agencies, including the Canadian Space Agency and Statistics Canada. Allegations of fraud were raised in federal court documents, indicating a potential breach of integrity in her employment history. The case underscores the complexities of insider threats and the challenges of vetting individuals for sensitive positions.