Chinese court sentences Canadian Michael Spavor to 11 years after finding him guilty of spying
- Businessman found guilty of ‘spying and illegal provision of state secrets abroad’, having faced a closed-door trial in March
- Top diplomats from 25 countries visited the Canadian embassy in Beijing to show support for Spavor and Canada
Spavor was found guilty of “spying and illegal provision of state secrets abroad” by the Liaoning court on Wednesday, and will also be fined 50,000 yuan (US$7,700) and deported. He has 10 days to appeal.
According to Chinese criminal law, deportation may be applied “in an independent or supplementary manner” to foreigners found to have committed crimes.
In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the sentencing was “absolutely unacceptable and unjust”.
“The verdict for Mr Spavor comes after more than 2½ 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.
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China sentences Canadian businessman Michael Spavor to 11 years for spying