Canadian Ambassador Dominic Barton said he considered the verdict to mean 11 years in prison in China, followed by deportation. Spavor was tried in March, but neither reporters nor Canadian officials were allowed to watch the proceedings. To Clive Ansley, a former lawyer in both Canada and China who now consults on China, the guilty verdict against Spavor was, “for all practical purposes,” a foregone conclusion. He’s extremely friendly, gets along with absolutely everybody,” said Tim Wright, a Calgary area man who is friends with Spavor. Spavor is ambitious in his work with North Korea, stoutly apolitical, and unique in his determination, Vroon said.

Source: thestar August 11, 2021 02:48 UTC