China says prosecution against two Canadians convicted of spying legit
Updated 20:39, 19-Jun-2020
CGTN
00:28

Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the criminal prosecution against two Canadians arrested in China for espionage is lawful.

The remarks came after Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have been formally prosecuted respectively by the procuratorates in Beijing and Dandong, northeast China's Liaoning Province earlier the day.

The crimes committed by the two Canadians are clearly listed, and the evidence is sufficient, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at Friday's regular press conference when responding to related questions raised by reporters.

According to two separate notices published on the Supreme People's Procuratorate website on Friday, Kovrig was "suspected of spying on state secrets and intelligence" while Spavor was "suspected of spying state secrets and illegally providing them to overseas forces."

Former Canadian diplomat Kovrig and Canadian businessman Spavor were detained in China in late 2018 and were arrested in May last year.

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China confirms arrests of two detained Canadians

(Cover: China's Supreme People's Procuratorate. /File photo)