Canada Appeals “Unfair” Conviction of Businessmen in China Court News

The Canadian Foreign Minister said that Michael Spavor’s conviction for spying in China was the result of a “false trial.”

Canada says it will appeal belief Canadian businessman Michael Spavor condemned 11 years in prison for espionage caused by a “false trial” in China.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Marc Garneau pointed out that Spavor’s case lacked evidence and that he had been running tourism and cultural exchanges between China and North Korea for many years.

The Dandong Intermediate People’s Court said in a statement on Wednesday that Spavor was “convicted of espionage and illegally providing state secrets.” He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

“We plan to initiate an appeal,” Gano told reporters.

Spavor was one of two Canadians detained in China in December 2018. Canada arrests Meng WanzhouIn response to an extradition request from the United States, the chief financial officer of the Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

Meng Wanzhou, who denies accusations of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran Still fighting for extradition In the Canadian courts. The closing debate of her case began on Wednesday. Canadian government lawyers argued that the US case was valid and pointed out that the threshold for extradition was very low.

Michael Kovrig, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, also faces charges of espionage and was tried in China shortly after Spavor in March. The court has not announced its verdict in his case.

The two men were almost held in solitary confinement, with limited access to consular officials and even lawyers. Their arrest has strained relations between Beijing and Ottawa, who accused the Chinese government of prosecuting the couple in retaliation for Meng’s arrest. China denied the allegations, saying that the cases were not related.

‘Unacceptable and unfair’

On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized the Chinese court’s decision in the Spavor case as “absolutely unacceptable and unfair” and promised to bring Spavor and Cummingback back to Canada.

Trudeau said in a statement: “Mr. Spavor’s sentence was made after two and a half years of arbitrary detention, lack of transparency in legal procedures, and even failure to meet the minimum standards required by international law.” statement.

“For Mr. Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who is also arbitrarily detained, our priority remains to ensure their immediate release. We will continue to work around the clock to bring them home as soon as possible.”

The Chargé d’affaires of the Canadian Embassy in China, Jim Nichol, joined diplomats from other countries to express their support, because the Dandong Court ruled on Michael Spavor’s spy case. [Florence Lo/Reuters]

When Spavor was sentenced in his hometown of Dandong, 25 foreign diplomats came to show support for Canada. During his approximately two-hour trial in March, diplomats were barred from entering the courtroom.

The United States also condemned the “arbitrary detention” of the Canadian man and the sentence of 11 years in prison to Spavor.

Secretary of State Anthony Brinken said in a statement: “The arbitrary detention of individuals to exert influence on foreign governments is totally unacceptable.” “People should never be used as bargaining chips.”

Gano also said on Wednesday that the government will continue to seek clemency for the Canadian citizen Robert Schellenberg who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling in China.

‘S release #Michael Spavor and #Michael Kovrig Is our top priority. I talked with friends and partners in Canada and thanked them for their firm support to Mr. Spavor and Mr. Kang Mingkai who have been arbitrarily detained in China since December 2018.

-Mark Garno (@MarcGarneau) August 11, 2021

Schellenberg was originally sentenced to 15 years in prison at the end of 2018, but his sentence was Change to the death penalty Only a few months later, the relationship broke down after Meng was detained. The Chinese court rejected Schellenberg’s appeal this week.

“We will argue, just like we have treated Robert Schellenberg with leniency from the beginning,” Garno told reporters.