The European Union on Wednesday condemned the Canadian businessman Michael Spavor for espionage and was sentenced to 11 years in prison in China, saying he had been denied a “fair trial.”
The President of the European Council Charles Michel wrote on Twitter: “Arbitrary detention is not allowed in international relations.”
“The European Union fully supports Canada in condemning Mr. Spavor’s sentence. We collectively call for his release.”
A spokesman for the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borel also condemned the conviction of Spavor.
She said in a statement: “According to international human rights law and China’s criminal procedure law, his rights to a fair trial and due process, including the right to public hearings, have not been upheld.”
It added that he was not allowed to meet with a lawyer of his choice and that the consul’s meeting with him was “strictly restricted.”
“The EU has repeatedly urged China to comply with its international legal obligations and ensure that Mr. Spavor’s procedures are fair and due to legal procedures,” the statement said.
conviction
After Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada under a U.S. extradition order, Spavor was detained in 2018 with compatriot Michael Cumming. Ottawa described these allegations as allegations of political planning.
The relationship between the two countries fell to the bottom, and China also accused Canada of politicizing legal cases.
The Dandong Intermediate People’s Court said in a statement that Spavor was “convicted of espionage and illegally providing state secrets.”
“He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.”
After the sentence was pronounced, in the message conveyed by the consular visit, Spavor said: “Thank you for your support. I am in good spirits. I want to go home.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the conviction and sentence “absolutely unacceptable and unfair.”
“Mr. Spavor’s sentence was made after two and a half years of arbitrary detention, lack of transparency in legal procedures, and trials that did not even meet the minimum standards required by international law,” he said. In a statement.
