Canadian Michael Kovrig held in China for allegedly endangering national security
- International Crisis Group says China’s state security bureau was responsible for former diplomat’s detention, on whom there has been no word since Monday
- China had warned of ‘grave consequences’ after Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Sabrina Meng over alleged breaches of sanctions against Iran
Canadian former diplomat Michael Kovrig was detained by Chinese authorities because he is suspected of engaging in activities that endangered China’s national security, The Beijing News has reported.
Kovrig, who is a senior adviser for the anti-war, non-profit organisation International Crisis Group (ICG), was seized by state security on Monday night in Beijing, according to the ICG itself.
“Our reporters have learned from the relevant departments that Canadian citizen Michael John Kovrig was detained by the Beijing Municipal State Security Bureau on December 10 in accordance with the law for allegedly engaging in activities that endangered China’s national security. The case is now under investigation,” the News said.
In a regular press conference, the Foreign Ministry said that he might have broken China’s foreign NGO law if he carried out certain activities for the group in China.
“My understanding is that ICG is not registered in China … If their staff conduct activities in China, he has violated the foreign non-government organisations law,” ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Wednesday. “China will handle the case in accordance with the law.”
Lu declined to comment on whether Kovrig’s detention was related to that of Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei Technologies who was arrested in Canada at the request of the United States Justice Department.