Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday said that a Chinese court’s sentencing of Canadian businessman Michael Spavor to 11 years in prison for espionage was “absolutely unacceptable” and called for his immediate release.
The US embassy in Beijing also condemned the sentencing in a statement, saying that proceedings against Spavor and another Canadian charged with espionage were an attempt to “use human beings as bargaining leverage.”
The espionage cases are embroiled in a wider diplomatic spat involving Washington and Beijing, and Spavor’s sentencing comes as lawyers in Canada representing Huawei Technologies Co (華為) chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou (孟晚舟) make a final push to convince a court not to extradite her to the US.
Photo: AFP
“China’s conviction and sentencing of Michael Spavor is absolutely unacceptable and unjust,” Trudeau said in a statement.
“The verdict for Mr Spavor comes after more than two-and-a-half years of arbitrary detention, a lack of transparency in the legal process and a trial that did not satisfy even the minimum standards required by international law,” he said.
Trudeau called for the release of Spavor and former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, who is awaiting a verdict in his espionage case.
China detained Spavor and Kovrig in late 2018, just days after Canada arrested Meng at the Vancouver International Airport on a warrant from the US.
Canadian Ambassador to China Dominic Barton, who visited Spavor at a detention center in northeastern China following the verdict, said Spavor had three messages that he asked to be shared with the outside world: “Thank you for all your support,” “I am in good spirits” and “I want to get home.”
“While we disagree with the charges, we realize that this is the next step in the process to bring Michael home, and we will continue to support him through this challenging time,” the Spavor family said in a statement.
Noting the presence of diplomats from 25 countries gathered at the Canadian embassy, Barton said: “Our collective presence and voice sends a strong signal to China and the Chinese government in particular, that all the eyes of the world are watching.”
The Dandong Intermediate Court also said that 50,000 yuan (US$7,709) of Spavor’s personal assets would be confiscated.
Spavor is to be deported upon finishing his sentence, Barton said.
The potential sentence ranged from five to 20 years.
China detained Spavor in December 2018 and he was charged with espionage in June 2019. The Dandong court concluded a one-day trial in March and waited until yesterday to announce the verdict.
In March, Spavor’s family said that the charges against him are vague and have not been made public, and that he has had “very limited access and interaction with his retained Chinese defense counsel.”
Kovrig’s espionage trial ended in March with the verdict to be announced at an unspecified date.
Some observers have said that the convictions of the two Canadians could ultimately facilitate an agreement in which they are released and sent back to Canada.
China has a conviction rate of better than 99 percent, and public and media access to trials in sensitive cases is typically limited.
Since Meng’s arrest, China has sentenced four Canadians to death over drug charges.
China has rejected the suggestion that the cases of the Canadians in China are linked to Meng’s case in Canada, although Beijing has warned of unspecified consequences unless Meng is released.
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