Michael Kovrueg of Canada has been incarcerated in China for more than two years. His trial for alleged espionage has now begun in Beijing. The area around the courthouse was cut off and other Western diplomats, including Canada and Germany, were denied entry to the court. Canadian Embassy Charge D’Faires Jim Nickel said he was very concerned about the “lack of transparency” in the process.

A lawsuit against Canadian businessman Michael Spoer, who, like Koverig, was arrested in the People’s Republic on December 10, 2018, had already begun on Friday in Dandong, northeast China. Kovrig worked in China as an expert for the international crisis group think tank. His compatriot Spyware ran a cultural exchange company with North Korea.

Supporters in Vancouver are demanding the immediate release of Michael Kovig and Michael Spoer

Return train for Meng’s arrest

A few days before the two Canadians were arrested, Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Meng Wenzhou was arrested in Vancouver, Canada under the responsibility of US officials. So diplomats and critics suspect retaliatory attacks by China and accuse Beijing of “hostage diplomacy”. In June 2020, both Canadians were officially charged and charged with espionage.

The US government accused Meng of bank fraud in relation to circumventing sanctions against Iran. Meng is under house arrest in Canada.

A daughter of Meng Wenzhou, one of the daughters of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, on her way to another hearing in court in Vancouver (archive image).

The US is trying to extradite them. If convicted in the United States, she could face a long prison term. Meng describes himself as innocent, stating himself against extradition and has so far denied a tactical admission of guilt.

SE / A (RTR, AP, DPA, FP)