A Chinese court on Wednesday convicted Canadian businessman Michael Spavor of espionage, sentencing him to 11 years in prison, in a case widely seen as part of the Chinese regime’s pressure campaign against Canada over the arrest of Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou.
A statement from the Dandong’s Intermediate People’s Court in northeastern China’s Liaoning Province said Spavor was found guilty of “spying and illegally providing state secrets.” In addition to 11 years in prison, his personal assets amounting to 50,000 yuan will be confiscated, and he will be deported, but the court did not specify when.
In China, deportation usually occurs after a person serves their sentence.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the conviction of Spavor “absolutely unacceptable and unjust.”
“Today’s 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 said in a statement on Wednesday.
He said that Spavor and another Canadian, former diplomat Michael Kovrig, were “arbitrarily detained” by the Chinese regime and the Canadian government continues to prioritize securing their immediate release.
“We will continue working around the clock to bring them home as soon as possible,” he said, adding, “We will not rest until they are safely brought home.”
Spavor’s family in a statement thanked the Canadian government “for its tireless advocacy” for his release, adding, “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.”
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau in a statement said that the country “condemns China’s conviction and sentencing of Michael Spavor in the strongest possible terms.”
“This decision is rendered after a legal process that lacked both fairness and transparency, including a trial that did not satisfy the minimum standards required by international law,” he said.
Canada’s ambassador Dominic Barton attended Spavor’s hearing in Dandong on Wednesday, while a news conference at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing was attended by representatives from 25 countries in a show of support. The countries included United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, France, the EU, Italy and Sweden.
“Absurd, disgusting #China sentences Canadian #MichaelSpavor to 11 years in prison in a thuggish act of reprisal meant to terrorize other countries into cowering before China,” Michael Caster, the Asia Digital Programme Manager at ARTICLE 19, a London-based organization supporting freedom of expression, said in a statement on Twitter.
Pierre Dalphond, a Canadian senator from Quebec, responded to the matter on Twitter, “Within 24 hrs, #China legal system has shown that it is anything but independent. After a death penalty against #Schellenberg now #MichaelSpavor sentenced to 11 years in prison for phoney spying charges.”
Human rights NGO Safeguard Defenders, in a short Twitter post on Wednesday, said it was an “disgusting example of [hostage diplomacy].”
One Day Trial
Spavor was previously charged with espionage in June 2019. The Dandong court concluded a one-day trial in March and waited until Wednesday to announce the verdict.
Spavor’s family previously said in March 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.”
His sentencing comes as a Canadian court is set to hear final arguments and decide whether to extradite Huawei CFO Meng to face U.S. criminal charges.
She is accused of misleading HSBC about Huawei’s business dealings in Iran, a move that put HSBC at risk of violating of U.S. trade sanctions against Iran. Both Meng and Huawei have denied the charges. Lawyers in Canada representing Meng have sought to convince the court not to extradite her.
Meng was arrested at Vancouver International Airport at the request of the United States on Dec. 1, 2018.
Spavor and Kovrig were later arrested by Chinese authorities on Dec. 10, 2018. The two Michaels’ detention were widely seen as retaliation by the Chinese regime for Meng’s arrest.
The Chinese regime has denied a direct connection between Meng’s case and the two Michaels’ cases, but Chinese officials and media have repeatedly called for Meng’s immediate release while mentioning the fates of the two men.
Kovrig’s trial concluded in March. His verdict is set to be announced at an unspecified date.
China has a conviction rate of well over 99 percent, and public and media access to trials in sensitive cases is typically limited.
Meng remains out on bail under house arrest in Vancouver. Her extradition hearing is expected to wrap up by Aug. 20. A ruling from the judge is expected in the next few months, after which Canada’s justice minister will decide whether to extradite her.
Separately, another Chinese court rejected the appeal of Canadian Robert Schellenberg on Tuesday. His 15-year sentence dealt in late 2018 related to a drug case was abruptly increased to a death sentence in a one-day retrial shortly after Meng’s arrest.
Garneau on Tuesday said Canada “strongly condemns” the Chinese regime’s decision to uphold Schellenberg’s death penalty.
The Australian government on Wednesday said it “stands with Canada” in response to Spavor’s arbitrary detention, and to the upholding of Schellenberg’s death penalty.
“We call for due process & transparency & oppose the death penalty in all circumstances,” the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement.
Reuters contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times
