Lady Huawei goes to China, Beijing frees two Canadians

The Chinese authorities released Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, two Canadian citizens, following the agreement reached with the United States for the release and renunciation of the extradition of Meng Wanzhou, vice president and CFO of Huawei. The two are on their way to Ottawa, accompanied by Canadian Ambassador Dominic Barton, as explained by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Lady Huawei has already departed on a charter plane for Shenzhen. The two Canadian citizens were arrested in December 2018 on a spying charge, shortly after Vancouver police arrested Meng on a US mandate. Remained in prison for over a thousand days, the two Michael, as they were known, have always proclaimed themselves innocent. Canada and other Western governments have accused China of engaging in “hostage diplomacy,” arbitrarily arresting the men on charges that Canada deemed unfounded. China has long denied that their arrest was linked to Meng’s detention. Eventually, China released the two Michaelis without giving any legal reasons. Spavor was sentenced to 11 years in prison last month, while Kovrig’s verdict, following a secret trial in March, has yet to be announced. Canadian Robert Schellenberg, from 15 years in prison to a death sentence. At least four other Canadians are sentenced to death in China.