2nd Canadian goes on trial in China on spying charges

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A second Canadian citizen held for more than two years on spying charges in apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of a senior executive of the telecoms giant Huawei went on trial in Beijing on Monday.

The trial Monday of analyst and former diplomat Michael Kovrig in Beijing follows an initial hearing in the case of entrepreneur Michael Spavor in the northeastern city of Dandong on Friday.

Canadian diplomats have been refused access to trials and been told hearings would be held behind closed doors because of alleged national security concerns. Diplomats and journalists have showed up nonetheless to seek information and show support.

Outside Beijing's No. 2 Intermediate Court, Jim Nickel, the Canadian Embassy's deputy chief of mission, told journalists he had been told the trial had begun, but was barred from entry in what he said was a violation of China's international and bilateral treaty obligations.

“Michael Kovrig has been detained for more than two years now. He's been arbitrarily detained and now we see that the court process itself is not transparent, "Nickel told reporters." We're very troubled by this but  บทความสล็อตออนไลน์ we thank those who have come out from the embassies here in Beijing and the international support that we 've had for Michael, for Canada and the call that many of us are making for their immediate release. "

Nickel said 26 countries had sent representatives to show their support, including the U.S., the U.K, Australia and many European nations. It wasn't clear how long the trial would last or when a verdict would be announced.

The government has provided almost no information about the accusations against the two, but a newspaper run by the ruling Communist Party alleges they collaborated in stealing state secrets and sending them abroad. No verdict has been announced in Spavor's case and it wasn't clear if additional hearings would be held.

However, such cases are almost always predetermined in China, and Beijing is seen as using Kovrig and Spavor as leverage to obtain the release of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested at the request of the US at the airport in Vancouver, British Columbia, in December 2019.The two Canadians were detained in China just days later.

Meng is sought by the U.S. on fraud charges related to the telecom giant's dealings with Iran, which is under American financial sanctions.

The two Canadians have been held ever since, while Meng has been released on bail. They were charged in June 2020 under China's broadly defined national security laws.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted Beijing for holding the trial “in secret” without access for consular officials.