{"id":211071,"date":"2018-12-21T18:41:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-22T02:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=211071"},"modified":"2018-12-21T18:42:02","modified_gmt":"2018-12-22T02:42:02","slug":"michael-kovrig-denied-access-to-lawyers-other-canadians-still-held","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2018\/12\/michael-kovrig-denied-access-to-lawyers-other-canadians-still-held\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Kovrig Denied Access to Lawyers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bloomberg is reporting<\/strong><\/a> that Canadian Michael Kovrig, who was detained in Beijing on suspicion of threatening China’s national security<\/a>, has not been allowed to see a lawyer or his family and is permitted one meeting with a consular official per month:<\/p>\n

The conditions are among the first details of Michael Kovrig\u2019s detention since the International Crisis Group senior adviser was taken into custody by China\u2019s spy agency on Dec. 10. The case — along with that of another Canadian citizen detained on the same day — have plunged Canada\u2019s ties with its second-largest trading partner into crisis. Canada\u2019s government on Friday for the first time called the detentions \u201carbitrary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of two Canadians earlier this month and call for their immediate release,\u201d Canada\u2019s Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Kovrig is being held at a secret detention facility where he\u2019s questioned three times a day and unable to turn off the light, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing the case. He\u2019s been allowed one 30-minute visit by Canadian Ambassador John McCallum in Beijing, in which he appeared stressed but unharmed, the person said. [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kovrig, a former diplomat, is currently employed by the International Crisis Group, which has called for his release, according to AFP<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n

Michael Kovrig \u201chas not been allowed access to his lawyers. The arrest is unjustified,\u201d said Hugh Pope, a spokesman for the International Crisis Group, a thinktank that analyzes conflicts and geopolitical flashpoints.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call for him to be released immediately, and at a minimum for him to be allowed regular consular access, contact with his family and to see his legal counsel,\u201d Pope said. [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While the Foreign Ministry initially stated that ICG had not properly registered in China according to new rules established in the Foreign NGO Management Law<\/a>, subsequent government statements have confirmed that he is in fact being held for national security violations. His employer has insisted that he was not violating Chinese law during his visit and that his detention could have far-reaching impact on others working in the NGO and diplomatic communities in China. From Keegan Elmer at South China Morning Post<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n

[Robert Malley, president of International Crisis Group] said he would like to speak with Chinese officials about Kovrig\u2019s role in China, and to push for his immediate release. \u201cOur sense was that it was work that they appreciate \u2026 I think they saw benefit from hearing our analysis of conflicts around the world. There\u2019s no mystery,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

[…] Malley said Kovrig\u2019s arrest could have a chilling effect for the many foreigners working in China.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this was directed at what he did as a diplomat, then this would be a troubling message to diplomats from any country who \u2013 years later \u2013 may be detained for activities that they engaged in legitimately as diplomats,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other option is that he\u2019s being detained for what he did at Crisis Group and [his work] is about as open and transparent an activity as one could imagine,\u201d Malley added. \u201cThat could have a chilling effect not just for NGO [staff], but for academics, businesspeople \u2013 for anyone.\u201d [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kovrig apparently shares joint citizenship in Canada and Hungary, and the Hungarian government is also requesting consular access but has not yet had it granted, according to Ben Blanchard at Reuters<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n

Several sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that Kovrig also has Hungarian nationality, a factor that could escalate the situation and put further pressure on China by involving the European Union, China\u2019s largest trading partner.<\/p>\n

Two of the sources said that the Hungarian embassy in Beijing has been seeking access to Kovrig too.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not been granted yet,\u201d one of them said.<\/p>\n

The second source said the Hungarian embassy in Beijing is treating it as a consular case and going through the \u201cnormal process\u201d, also confirming consular access had not been granted yet. [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Michael Spavor, another Canadian who was detained the same day as Kovrig on similar accusations<\/a>, has also had a consular visit<\/a> but few details about the reasons for or conditions of his detention have been released. His friends have initiated a crowdsourced funding account to help support his legal fees and the possible loss of his employment. Spavor ran an organization in Dandong which facilitated cultural and business exchanges with North Korea. From Laura Zhou and Lee Jeong-ho at South China Morning Post<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n

According to the campaign, hosted by crowdfunding platform GoFundMe, money raised will help with \u201cany legal, medical or transport bills once he is out\u201d.<\/p>\n

The money will be given to Spavor\u2019s brother and may also be used to pay any potential fines in China, as well as to provide start-up capital in support of his new life outside the country.<\/p>\n

[…] Andray Abrahamian, a North Korea specialist and Koret Fellow at Stanford University, as well as a friend of Spavor\u2019s, said he was worried the Canadian may never be able to recover his possessions, including his organisation PCE.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe [probably won\u2019t be] able to run his small non-profit, which focuses on North Korea but requires transit, if not residence, in China,\u201d Abrahamian said. [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Meanwhile, a third Canadian, Sarah McIver, has also been detained in China over visa complications<\/a>, in what appears to be an unrelated case. She will reportedly return to Canada. Relations between Canada and China have quickly deteriorated following the arrest in Vancouver of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who the U.S. is attempting to extradite on fraud charges. Many see the detentions in China as retribution for Meng’s arrest<\/a>. Today the Canadian government issued a strong statement against the recent detentions in China:<\/p>\n

\n

BREAKING: Canada escalates language in dispute with China, calls for immediate release of two detained Canadians. pic.twitter.com\/IjZDiWt0x9<\/a><\/p>\n

— Katie Simpson (@CBCKatie) December 21, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n