U.S. presses China to release two Canadian Michaels

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – America’s top diplomat is blasting China for the detention of two Canadians.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is calling on Beijing to immediately release Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, who have been detained on spying charges since December of 2018.

“Human beings are not bargaining chips,” Blinken writes, referencing the belief that the Michaels were arrested in retaliation for the Canadian arrest of a Chinese tech executive.

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou was taken into custody at Vancouver International Airport just days before the two men were detained.

Meng was arrested at the request of the U.S. on fraud-related charges.

This comes after both men’s trials were held and ended without verdicts, which are expected to be handed down within days.

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Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, Marc Garneau, said on Monday — after Kovrig’s trial wrapped up in China — that his top priority was securing the safe return of the Michaels.

“We are deeply troubled by the total lack of transparency surrounding these hearings and we continue to work toward an immediate end to their arbitrary detention,” he said.

Canadian officials and the media were not allowed into either of the hearings.

“Canadian officials are seeking continued consular access to Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-Canada Consular Agreement, and will continue to support these men and their families during this unacceptable ordeal,” Garneau added.

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