China sentences Canadian to 11 years in prison for spying

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – A Chinese court on Wednesday sentenced a Canadian to 11 years in prison for spying and ordered authorities to deport him, according to the state-run Global Times newspaper.

A judge in Dandong city of northeastern Liaoning province bordering North Korea issued the ruling, which also ordered the confiscation of Canadian citizen Michael Spavor's personal property.

"For the crime of spying and illegal provision of state secrets abroad, Spavor has been sentenced to 11 years in jail, confiscation of 50,000 yuan ($7,715) worth of personal property and deportation," the court said.

Although the verdict did not specify when the deportation would take place, convicted foreigners are normally deported only after serving their prison sentence in China.

Spavor, who has spent 975 days in Chinese jail since December 2018, was running a “travel and cultural exchange” business between China and North Korea.

He and former diplomat Michael Kovrig – referred to as the "Two Michaels" – were held over spying charges soon after Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's arrest in Canada in December 2018, who is facing extradition to the US.

Kovrig is accused of using a business visa to allegedly steal sensitive information and intelligence “through contacts in China,” and Spavor “being a key source of intelligence for Kovrig.”