Two Chinese citizens have been deported by the Canadian authorities for being caught in possession of child pornographic materials on their electronic devices (mobile phones and laptops).

The Chinese Embassy in Canada confirmed the news on its official website on Monday, stating that two Chinese students attempted to enter the country separately but were deported by the Canadian customs for having digital pictures of children having sex on their cellphones.

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An official account, 'lask-ca' on the Chinese WeChat social network, said obscene content was found on the two students' WeChat account and videos of children engaged in sexual acts were found on their mobile phones.

                                                      Right to privacy      

Although the Chinese Embassy did not confirm the veracity of the case, officials warned Chinese citizens travelling to Canada to delete all pornographic, sensitive, compromising and illegal contents from their laptops, cellphones, and hard disks or run the risk of being deported or worse, jailed.

Many Chinese netizens have reacted negatively to the Canadian customs' decision to search the students' electronic devices saying it violated the their right to privacy.

But Canadian authorities defended their right to search the students' electronic devices and gadgets saying that they are merely exercising their mandated authority to implement the law based on the Canada Border services Agency's code of conduct.

                                                           6 months to 14 years

In Canada, the possession of child pornography materials, whether printed or digitally, carries a high penalty ranging from a jail sentence of six months to 14 years.

According to Canadian laws, persons who 'make, posses, distribute, or access child pornography' are punishable by a jail term of six months to 14 years imprisonment except when the materials are being viewed for purposes of research into science, medicine, education, or art.

Canadian authorities said the Chinese students were not the only ones who have been caught violating the country's laws against child pornography.

Gordon Lawrence Ellis, a Canadian national, was meted a six-month jail term in 2011 when he was found in possession of child porn while traveling from US to Canada in 2011.

TagsCanada, deportation, child pornographic materials, Electronic Devices, Chinese Embassy