Canada working with allies to secure release of detainees

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland says Canada is working with its allies to forge the release of two Canadians detained in China.

Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained earlier this month.

Kovrig, a former diplomat and an advisor with the International Crisis Group ICG think tank, and Spavor, a businessman, were arrested apparently in response to the arrest of a top Chinese telecom executive, Meng Wanzhou, at Vancouver airport on Dec. 1.

The Chinese arrested Kovrig and Spavor on allegations of “engaging in activities that endanger the national security” of China.

An official with Kovrig’s employer, International Crisis Group, said Saturday that Kovrig has been denied access to legal counsel while in custody.

Meng, a top executive of the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, was released on bail  under strict conditions, including wearing an angle monitor and confinement to her Vancouver home from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The Canadians were acting at the request of the U.S., which wants her extradicted.

Freeland made the comment during a conference call with reporters on Saturday, a day after Canada demanded China immediately release Kovig and Spavor and the U.S., the U.K. and the EU issued statements supporting Canada.

“We are very hard at work. We understand that working co-operatively, collectively with allies, is a very effective way for Canada to work in the world and that is what we have been doing,” Freeland said on the conference call.

Freeland said Chinese authorities have not drawn a direct connection between Meng’s arrest and the arrest of the Canadians, but many analysts say the cases are linked.

Freeland said she raised the conditions of the Canadians’ detention in a meeting with China’s ambassador to Canada but gave no further details of the conversation.

With files from CBC, CP, AP, Toronto Star