Canadian Michael Kovrig, held by China since 2018, ‘relieved’ by visit

Name: Second Canadian citizen detained in China
Uploaded: 2020-10-12T03:21:08.000Z
Duration: 1 min 27 s
Description: Second Canadian citizen detained in China

Kovrig unbroken despite months of extreme isolation and shocked to learn of the scale of the coronavirus pandemic, his wife says after ‘virtual’ access

Canada calls for end to ‘arbitrary detention’ of ex-diplomat and his compatriot Michael Spavor after first consular access since January

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People in Vancouver call for China to release Michael Kovrig and his fellow Canadian detainee Michael Spavor, held for almost two years. Photo: Reuters

Agence France-Presse

Published: 11:21am, 12 Oct 2020Updated: 11:20am, 12 Oct 2020

One of the two Canadians that Canada says are held arbitrarily in China was “relieved” to get outside news via a virtual diplomatic visit and remains determined to return home, his wife said on Sunday.

Canada announced on Saturday its first contact since January with Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been imprisoned in China for nearly two years.

After months of “extreme isolation, Michael was greatly relieved to receive news from the outside world” and of his family, Kovrig’s wife Vina Nadjibulla told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

“We are extremely proud that despite his long confinement, Michael’s spirit, determination and even his sense of humour remain unbroken,” she said, adding that her husband was shocked to learn about the scale of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Second Canadian citizen detained in China

Canada’s ambassador to China, Dominic Barton, obtained “virtual consular access” to Spavor on Friday and Kovrig on Saturday, the Canadian foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.