U.S. senators demand release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor

U.S. senators demand release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor

National Post

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EDMONTON — In a hard-hitting statement, a group of United States senators have condemned the Chinese prosecution of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, calling on China to “immediately release and drop all charges” against the two Canadians, who have been detained in prison in China for more than 550 days.

The group , including Jim Risch, an Idaho Republican, Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican and Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, said that the “arbitrary detention and confinement in inhumane conditions is deeply troubling.”

“The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) political persecution and arbitrary detainment of these two Canadian citizens, while Canada continues to uphold the rule of law in the case of Meng Wanzhou, only reinforces the international community’s concerns about the CCP’s complete disregard for individual rights and the fair and just application of the law.”

Kovrig and Spavor were seized by Chinese officials in December, 2018, in what’s widely seen as a retaliatory arrest in response to Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who’s wanted in the United States. Meng is currently fighting extradition to the United States in Canadian courts, and is being held on bail in Vancouver, where she has been living in her mansions.

After the two Canadians were officially charged with espionage last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a Friday press conference, said he was “disappointed” with the charges, and that his “support and sympathies” were with their families.

“We have continued to express our disappointment with the Chinese decision, with the Chinese detention of these two Canadians,” Trudeau said. He ignored a reporter’s question about whether or not he considers the two men to be “hostages.”

Then, on Monday, Trudeau slightly stiffened his response: “It has been obvious from the beginning that this was a political decision made by the Chinese government, and we deplore it and have from the very beginning.”

This prompted Zhao Lijian, a foreign ministry spokesperson in Beijing, to respond: “China urges the relevant Canadian leader to earnestly respect the spirit of the rule of law, respect China’s judicial sovereignty and stop making irresponsible remarks.”

The affair has caused considerable tension in Canada’s relationship with China, and has placed Canada between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese strongman Xi Jinping. It also underscores the different foreign policy approaches by Canada and the U.S.

“The United States remains committed to our friendship and alliance with Canada and to upholding the rule of law, and we call upon the Chinese government to immediately release and drop all charges against Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor,” said the senators’ statement.

· Who are Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, the two Canadians held by China?
· Pompeo to China: Release Canadians Kovrig and Spavor, held on 'politically motivated' charges
· Canada has power to end Meng extradition, bring Canadians home from China, Kovrig's wife says

And on Monday, Mike Pompeo, the U.S. secretary of state, said the espionage charges are “politically motivated and completely groundless.”

“The United States stands with Canada in calling on Beijing for the immediate release of the two men and rejects the use of these unjustified detentions to coerce Canada,” Pompeo said.

Kovrig, a former diplomat who was working with the International Crisis Group, and Spavor, an entrepreneur, each had their last consular visits in prison in mid-January.

Pompeo concluded his Monday statement by highlighting this lack of contact violates their rights’ under the Vienna Convention. “The world has no knowledge of the two Canadians’ condition.”

Stephanie Carvin, an assistant professor of international relations at Carleton Univeristy’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, says she’s unsurprised by the language coming out of the United States, because that’s normal for the U.S. President Donald Trump administration.
“I don’t think we should be surprised the Trump administration is using more belligerent language than Canada,” she said.
What’s important is to present a united front, she said. “They (China) want to take countries and isolate them, because then it can use its strength and its weight and its economic power to try and force smaller countries to do what it wants,” Carvin said.
“If we’re all acting together, it becomes harder for China to do that — China knows this.”
Canada is in a tricky position for several reasons. But when it comes to the lives of two people, Carvin said, “I think the government should be using stronger language in its communications.”

• Email: tdawson@postmedia.com | Twitter: tylerrdawson

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