Michael Kovrig, a Canadian man detained by China for over 1,000 days, revealed in a recent interview the psychological torture he endured during his time in custody. Kovrig was put into solitary confinement for nearly six months and interrogated for up to nine hours every day. He missed the birth of his daughter and only met her for the first time when she was two-and-a-half years old. He described the treatment he received as a combination of isolation, relentless interrogation, and coercion to accept a false reality.
Kovrig, a former diplomat, and his fellow Canadian, Michael Spavor, were detained shortly after Canadian police arrested Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. warrant. Both men were accused of spying. Kovrig noted that the United Nations’ guidelines suggest that prisoners should not be in solitary confinement for more than 15 days in a row.
Kovrig and Spavor were released in September 2021, the same day the U.S. dropped its extradition request for Meng. The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa responded to Kovrig’s interview by stating that the men were suspected of activities endangering China’s national security and that their cases were handled according to Chinese law.
Kovrig’s partner was six months pregnant at the time of his arrest, and she helped their daughter recognize him through recordings and pictures. Upon their reunion, Kovrig experienced a sense of wonder and happiness as he pushed his daughter on a swing. Bilateral ties between Canada and China remain tense, with recent trade disputes adding to the strain in the relationship.
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