Hong Kong (CNN Business) Huawei's chief financial officer is accusing Canadian authorities of violating her rights when they detained her on behalf of the US government.

Meng Wanzhou has filed a civil lawsuit in Canada alleging that she was unlawfully detained and questioned for three hours without being advised of her constitutional rights, and that her electronic equipment and luggage were illegally searched before she was told she was under arrest.

Lawyers for Meng, who is also the daughter of Huawei's billionaire founder, filed the lawsuit Friday and made the documents available to journalists on Sunday. She is seeking punitive damages and costs.

The allegations relate to Meng's arrest at Vancouver International Airport on December 1. The detention of one of China's top tech executives at the request of the US government set off a political firestorm . In China, many viewed her arrest as a political move by the Trump administration to gain leverage in the clash between the two countries over trade and technology

Apple AAPL Huawei is the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker and one of the biggest smartphone brands alongside Samsung and. The Chinese company is a key player in the rollout of next-generation wireless technology, or 5G. But the United States, long wary of Huawei, is pressuring allies to limit the company's participation in 5G networks, saying it poses a national security threat.

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