Canada to fight for release of Michael Spavor after Chinese conviction
Posted August 11, 2021 7:43 am.
OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau says Canada will continue to fight for the release of Michael Spavor after a Chinese court sentenced him to 11 years in prison in what is widely described as a sham trial for an “arbitrary detention”.
Garneau, in a news conference Wednesday morning, condemned the prison sentence for the Canadian entrepreneur, which followed a closed-door trial in March that Garneau says did not meet the standards of international law.
“Canada condemns in the strongest possible terms Mr. Spavor’s unjust conviction after more than two and a half years of arbitrary detention,” he said. “This decision was made after a process that black both fairness and transparency, including a trial that did not satisfy the minimum standards required by international law.”
Canada condemns China’s conviction and sentencing of #MichaelSpavor in the strongest possible terms.
Complete statement here: https://t.co/MfxoxRZL1s pic.twitter.com/esYjnDTteU
— Marc Garneau (@MarcGarneau) August 11, 2021
The decision also comes with a deportation order but the minister can’t say when that order will be used, adding he is seeking more clarity from Chinese officials.
He says Canada is working with its allies, including the United States, to secure the release of both Spavor and fellow Canadian Michael Kovrig. He refused to provide details, such as whether the talks include the possibility of a prisoner exchange to swap the men for Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
Minister Garneau says he can't speculate on the deportation order for Spavor and timing of that. Says they are seeking more clarity from Chinese officials.
Garneau adds they are looking at an appeal to the verdict against Spavor #cdnpoli— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) August 11, 2021
The prisoners, who have become known as the two Michaels, have been detained for nearly three years after they were arrested on spying allegations shortly after Meng was detained at the Vancouver airport in December 2018.
“I cannot go into details on these very confidential discussions,” Garneau said. “The discussions, I will say, are with respect to finding a way to secure the release of the two Michaels and I’ll leave it at that.”
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A British Columbia court is preparing to hear final arguments on whether Wanzhou should be extradited to the U.S. where she is wanted on allegations of fraud and having violated trade laws.
Spavor’s sentencing followed a Chinese court’s decision to uphold the death penalty for another Canadian, Robert Schellenberg, in a case that many observers have also linked to Meng’s detention.
