China prepares to issue verdicts against Canadians Michael Spavor and Robert Schellenberg-National

The Chinese court will issue a verdict on the case of two Canadian citizens detained in Canada. China.

Decision under the following circumstances Robert SchellenbergA source with direct knowledge of the matter told Global News that he was detained by Chinese authorities in December 2014 and was formally charged with drug smuggling in January 2015. He is expected to appear in court later on Monday.

At the same time, sources confirmed that the sentence against Michael Spavor will be announced later this week. He is one of two Michaels detained in China for more than two and a half years.

For Schellenberg, Chinese courts can retry, uphold the original sentence or commute the sentence. If the court upholds the death sentence, the next and final step in the Chinese legal process is the mandatory review by the Supreme People’s Court.

2:29Canadians sentenced to death in China for drug smuggling

Spaffer is either innocent or guilty. In December 2018, Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Vancouver at the request of the US authorities. A few days later, he and Kang Mingkai were detained in China.

The United States accused Meng of violating sanctions on doing business with Iran and other corporate espionage charges, and is seeking her extradition. Meng, Huawei and Beijing have all denied any allegations of misconduct.

Although China denies that the arrests of Kovrig and Spavor were retaliatory measures, officials also stated that if Meng is allowed to return to China and the case against her is dropped, the couple can be released. Canada refuses to accept such exchanges.

— Documents by Mercedes Stephenson from Global News