A court in Dandong, China has sentenced a Canadian businessman to 11 years in Chinese prison after he was accused of spying.
It would be recalled that Michael Spavor was arrested in 2018, just a few days after Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou was detained in Canada on a U.S. extradition warrant.
Multiple reports have it that Spavor’s case, which has been deemed by Canada as a political hostage-taking, could be appealed, though it is rare that criminal cases in China are overturned.
In a statement made available to newsmen, the court noted that Spavor, who had done business in the country, had been found guilty of providing state secrets to a foreign recipient and that he would be deported. No other details were included.
The court said “For the crime of providing state secrets, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison, confiscation of personal property of RMB 50,000, and deportation”.
In a swift reaction, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed the decision, stating that China failed to provide transparency in Spavor’s case and that his sentencing had been “absolutely unacceptable and unjust.”
In a statement, the PM said “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”.
Trudeau also pointed to the case of another Canadian, Michael Kovrig, who served as a former diplomat and was also arrested in late 2018.
He said “For Mr. Spavor, as well as for Michael Kovrig who has also been arbitrarily detained, our top priority remains securing their immediate release. We will continue working around the clock to bring them home as soon as possible.”
Reports have it that though it is uncertain if the two Canadians will be released by China, their detainment has caused tensions between Beijing and Ottawa.
Meanwhile, US President, Joe Biden had earlier pledged to help Trudeau to get Spavor and Kovrig home.
The White House had in a statement, said “The President condemned their arbitrary detention and reiterated his commitment to stand strong with Canada to secure their release”.
