China Leaves Room to Release Canadian After Spy Conviction
- Michael Spavor convicted of stealing, sharing state secrets
- Verdict comes as Huawei CFO wages final extradition fight
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A Chinese court jailed a Canadian tour organizer for 11 years for spying, while leaving room for his eventual deportation -- a ruling that appeared timed to pressure Ottawa in extradition proceedings against a top Huawei Technologies Co. executive.
Michael Spavor, who organized tours to North Korea, was sentenced after being found guilty of stealing and illegally providing state secrets to other countries, the Dandong Intermediate People’s Court said in a statement Wednesday. Spavor will also be deported, the court said, without elaborating whether that would happen before or after his full sentence was completed.