"The letters for my loved ones were like the light coming through the cracks of the darkness," Kovrig said. Michael Spavor Another Canadian, Michael Spavor, was also detained in China shortly after Meng's arrest.

Kovrig said support from Canadian consular officials and the public buoyed him during his detention in China, where he and fellow Canadian Michael Spavor were arrested in December 2018.

Michael Kovrig expressed his gratification for finally being back in Canada as he arrived in Toronto Saturday afternoon, after having been arbitrarily detained in Chinese prisons for over 1,000 days.

Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained in December 2018 in apparent retaliation for Canada's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on an extradition request from the United States.

The trial of former diplomat Michael Kovrig on spying charges follows an initial hearing in the case of Canadian businessman Michael Spavor, who faces similar charges, in the northeastern city of Dandong on Friday.

Ambassador Dominic Barton was granted onsite virtual consular access to Michael Kovrig on Nov. 19 and Michael Spavor on Nov. 10, according a news release from Global Affairs. 

Campaign poster calling for the release of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig from arbitrary detention in China.

But he made no mention of Kovrig in his speech to the council. German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen did, echoing Malley's appeal "to liberate Michael Kovrig.''

The CCP has used the excuse that the ICG violated China’s foreign NGO law to justify the detainment of Kovrig and another Canadian—businessman Michael Spavor. However, Kovrig and the ICG may not have violated the law.

Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig told the House science and research committee in early April that Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent trade deal with China was a “tactical gamble that risks deep entanglement with an increasingly totalitarian one-party

Kovrig and Michael Spavor by China.

Spavor and Michael Kovrig.

China analysts Michael Kovrig and Patricia Xavier say three Chinese state-linked financial institutions attending a major investment summit in Toronto are likely seeking to increase Beijing’s “political influence” in Canada.

However, in the aftermath of Canada arresting Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. extradition request in December 2018, China changed Schellenberg's sentence to a death sentence, and also detained Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor

Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

Hillman also noted her role in securing the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from Chinese custody in September 2021.

In apparent retaliation, Beijing arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for more than 1,000 days.

China in apparent retaliation arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for over 1,000 days.

Freeland noted that she was Canada’s foreign minister when China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for more than 1,000 days in apparent retaliation after Canada executed a U.S. extradition warrant in late 2018 for Huawei

She noted that Canada “should have learned painful lessons” from past engagement with Beijing, including the arbitrary detention of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, interference in Canadian elections, intimidation of Chinese Canadian

In apparent response to Canada executing a U.S. extradition warrant for the Huawei executive, who was wanted for fraud, China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for over 1,000 days.

Trudeau had pursued stronger ties with China, including a free-trade deal, but these efforts stopped after China detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

China responded by arbitrarily detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor and keeping them in custody for more than 1,000 days.

In apparent retaliation, China detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for more than 1,000 days.

China's ruling Chinese Communist Party detained two Canadians, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, on espionage charges in 2018.

Her arrest was also followed by the detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were held in China for more than 1,000 days in what was widely seen as Beijing’s retaliation.

Diplomatic relations between the countries have been strained since 2018, when Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada and China responded by detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

China detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for more than 1,000 days in apparent retaliation.

Shortly afterward, China detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor for more than 1,000 days in apparent retaliation.

Diplomatic relations between the countries have been deteriorating since 2018, when China arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in apparent retaliation for the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver.