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MONTREAL: One of the two Canadians Ottawa says are arbitrarily detained in China was “relieved” to receive news from abroad through a virtual diplomatic visit and remains determined to return home, his wife said on Sunday (October 11). ).
Canada announced on Saturday its first contact since January with Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been incarcerated in China for nearly two years.
After months of “extreme isolation, Michael was greatly relieved to hear from the outside world” and from his family, Kovrig’s wife, Vina Nadjibulla, told CBC.
“We are extremely proud that despite his long confinement, Michael’s spirit, determination and even his sense of humor remain intact,” she said, adding that her husband was shocked to learn of the scale of the coronavirus pandemic. .
Canada’s ambassador to China Dominic Barton obtained “virtual consular access” to Spavor on Friday and Kovrig on Saturday, Canada’s Foreign Office 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.
Western governments view his arrest 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.
She is charged with bank fraud related to violations of US sanctions against Iran and has been fighting extradition ever since.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday that he had spoken with Donald Trump and thanked the US president for Washington’s continued support of efforts to free the two Canadians.
In announcing the consular visit on Saturday, the Canadian government reiterated its deep concern over the “arbitrary detention” of the two men and called for their immediate release.
The purpose of consular visits is generally to assess a detainee’s condition, clarify the nature of their detention, provide advice, seek access to medical care if necessary, and serve as a channel of communication between the detainee and their family members.
