Another thunderclap in Beijing-Ottawa relations.
Canadian Michael Spavor, whose detention in China is deemed "
arbitrary
" by Justin Trudeau, was sentenced Wednesday, August 11, to 11 years in prison for espionage.
He was arrested in December 2018, in what is seen in Canada as a retaliatory measure after the arrest a few days earlier in Vancouver of Meng Wanzhou, the financial director of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei.
Read also: Huawei case: strong tensions between Canada and China
Michael Spavor was "
convicted of espionage and stealing state secrets
" and is "
sentenced to 11 years in prison,
" said a court in Dandong, on the North Korean border, where the Canadian had was tried in March 2021. His trial was held behind closed doors, which is customary in China in sensitive cases.
Another Canadian, ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig, was also arrested along with Michael Spavor on similar grounds of espionage.
Already tried, he is also still detained and awaiting his verdict.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denounced during the trials the “
arbitrary detention
” of the two men and the “
lack of transparency
” of the Chinese authorities.
On Wednesday morning, around fifty diplomats from some 25 countries gathered at the Canadian embassy in Beijing in solidarity with Ottawa and its convicted national, noted an AFP journalist.
“
We condemn this decision.
There is the possibility of appealing.
This is something he will discuss with his lawyers,
”Dominic Barton, Canada's Ambassador to China, said in a press statement in Dandong.