The Canadian Michael Kovrig has been imprisoned in China for more than two years. The trial against him for alleged espionage has now started in Beijing. The area around the courthouse was cordoned off and Canadian and other Western diplomats, including Germany, were denied access to the court. The Canadian Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jim Nickel said he was very concerned “about the lack of transparency” in the process.
A trial against Canadian businessman Michael Spavor, who, like Kovrig, was arrested in the People’s Republic on December 10, 2018, had already started on Friday in Dandong in northeast China. Kovrig worked in China as an expert for the International Crisis Group think tank. His compatriot Spavor ran a cultural exchange company with North Korea.
In Vancouver supporters are demanding the immediate release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor
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Return carriage for the arrest of Meng
A few days before the two Canadians were arrested, the chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested at the instigation of the US authorities in Vancouver, Canada. Diplomats and critics therefore suspect a retaliatory strike by the Chinese and accuse Beijing of “hostage diplomacy”. In June 2020, the two Canadians were officially charged and charged with espionage.
The US government accuses Meng of bank fraud in connection with circumventing sanctions against Iran. Meng is under house arrest in Canada.
Meng Wanzhou, one of the daughters of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, on her way to another hearing in a court in Vancouver (archive image)
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The US is trying to extradite them. If convicted in the United States, she could face a long prison term. Meng describes himself as innocent, defends himself against extradition and has so far refused a tactical admission of guilt.
se / ack (rtr, ap, dpa, afp)
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