Chinese court sentences Canadian Michael Spavor to 11 years on spying charges in case linked to Huawei arrest

DANDONG, China (AP) — A Chinese court has sentenced Canadian Michael Spavor to 11 years on spying charges in case linked to Huawei. Spavor was detained in 2018 after his government arrested an executive of the Chinese tech giant. The verdict is the latest indication of how Beijing is stepping up pressure on Canada ahead of a court ruling on whether to hand over the executive, Meng Wanzhou, to face U.S. criminal charges. Spavor and another Canadian were detained in China in what critics labeled “hostage politics” after the executive’s 2018 arrest in connection with possible violations of sanctions on Iran. Another Chinese court earlier rejected the appeal of a third Canadian whose sentence in a drug case was abruptly increased to death.