The Canadian government has agreed to pay a significant sum of money to Michael Spavor, a merchant who was detained by China for almost three years during a larger dispute between the two nations.
In December 2018, Beijing detained Spavor and Michael Kovrig, also known as “the two Michaels,” as a response to the arrest of senior Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on a US warrant. Eventually, all three individuals were released.
In November, Spavor allegedly threatened to take legal action against Canada and Kovrig. He claimed that he unknowingly gave information about North Korea to Kovrig, who in turn shared it with the Canadian government and their allies through the GSRP.
The value of Spavor’s settlement, which includes costs for legal representation and other expenses, is reported to be approximately C$7m or $5.2m in US currency. According to a statement from Spavor’s lawyer, the issue between Spavor and the Canadian government has been resolved, although the exact amount of compensation has not been disclosed.
A representative for Global Affairs Canada, Charlotte MacLeod, expressed that although the detainees were held in China for 1019 days without reason, the government is dedicated to assisting them as they move forward in their lives. This assistance will be tailored to their unique situations and the effects of their ordeal, while also acknowledging the suffering caused by China’s arbitrary detention.
In 2018, the two individuals named Michael were apprehended soon after Meng, an executive at Huawei, was captured in Canada for potentially breaking trade sanctions regarding Iran.
According to Chinese authorities, Spavor, a frequent visitor to North Korea who had close ties with leader Kim Jong-un, was providing information to Kovrig. Kovrig had previously taken a break from his position as a diplomat at the Canadian embassy in Beijing from 2012 to 2014 to work at the International Crisis Group. The arrests of “the two Michaels” at the time sparked allegations of “hostage diplomacy” from Canada and its allies.
During the 8th month of 2021, Spavor received an 11-year prison sentence for accusations of espionage. Kovrig’s decision, given in a hidden trial during March, was never publicly disclosed. China released the two men in September of that same year, following a deal between Meng Wanzhou and US authorities which resulted in her release. This resolved a prolonged conflict lasting over 1,000 days.
The settlement follows a damning watchdog report about the controversial intelligence-sharing program run by Canada’s foreign affairs ministry, which found it puts its officers at risk and breaches global diplomatic conventions.
The national security and intelligence agency of Canada discovered concerning elements of the GSRP. They found that officers did not have sufficient training and that the program lacked adequate risk evaluation and security procedures, which potentially put officers and their sources at risk.
Source: theguardian.com
