Canada given ‘virtual’ consular access to Spavor and Kovrig detained in China
- Former diplomat Michael Kovrig and consultant Michael Spavor have been detained in China since December 2018 on charges of espionage
- The Canadians’ detention is seen by Western governments as retaliation for the arrest in Canada of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou
Canada has had its first contact since January with two of its citizens held in what Ottawa says is “arbitrary detention” in China, the Canadian Foreign Affairs Ministry announced on Saturday.
Canada’s ambassador to China Dominic Barton obtained “virtual consular access” to Michael Spavor on Friday and Michael Kovrig on Saturday, the department said in a statement.
Former diplomat Kovrig and consultant Spavor have been imprisoned in China since December 10, 2018. They were charged with espionage last June.
Their detention is seen by Western governments as retaliation for the arrest in Canada of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei and daughter of its founder.
Meng was arrested on a US warrant in December 2018 during a stopover in Vancouver.
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China accuses detained Canadians of spying, following Huawei CFO extradition approval
She is charged with bank fraud related to violations of US sanctions against Iran, and has been fighting extradition ever since.