Jump to content

Michael Kovrig: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Fixed incorrect dash (hyphen → en dash)
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
ElleShd (talk | contribs)
116 edits
Aug11, 2021 sentence update
Line 2: Line 2:
{{merge to|Detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig|date=July 2020|discuss=Talk:Michael Kovrig#Notability / merge proposal}}
{{merge to|Detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig|date=July 2020|discuss=Talk:Michael Kovrig#Notability / merge proposal}}


'''Michael Kovrig''' is a [[Canadians|Canadian]]-[[Hungarians|Hungarian]]<ref>{{Cite news|last=Blanchard|first=Ben|date=2018-12-20|title=Exclusive: Detained Canadian in China also Hungarian, Hungary seeks access - sources|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-canada-hungary-exclusive-idUSKCN1OJ0SV|access-date=2021-07-17}}</ref> former diplomat who worked for the [[International Crisis Group]], a transnational, pro-peace think tank. After being detained in December 2018, he was accused of [[espionage]] by the Chinese government in May 2019, although his arrest is widely considered to be political retaliation for the arrest of [[Huawei]] executive [[Meng Wanzhou]] on December 1, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/no-visitors-for-michael-kovrig-and-michael-spavor-because-of-covid-19-as-500th-day-in-chinese-prison-nears|title=No visitors for Michael Kovrig, Michael Spavor due to COVID-19 as 500th day in Chinese prison nears {{!}} National Post|last=News|date=April 18, 2020|language=en-CA|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2018/12/17/china-is-holding-two-canadians-hostages-its-not-even-denying-it/|title=Opinion {{!}} China is holding two Canadians as hostages. It’s not even denying it.|last=Clarke|first=Donald|website=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref> Kovrig's arrest has become a recent point of contention for [[Canada–China relations]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Staff|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/05/justin-trudeau-china-canada-beijing|title=Canada: Trudeau accuses China of using 'arbitrary detentions' for political ends|date=September 5, 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=April 29, 2020|last2=agencies|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
'''Michael Kovrig''' is a [[Canadians|Canadian]]-[[Hungarians|Hungarian]]<ref>{{Cite news|last=Blanchard|first=Ben|date=2018-12-20|title=Exclusive: Detained Canadian in China also Hungarian, Hungary seeks access - sources|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-canada-hungary-exclusive-idUSKCN1OJ0SV|access-date=2021-07-17}}</ref> former diplomat who worked for the [[International Crisis Group]], a transnational, pro-peace think tank. After being detained in December 2018, he was accused of [[espionage]] by the Chinese government in May 2019, although his arrest is widely considered to be political retaliation for the arrest of [[Huawei]] executive [[Meng Wanzhou]] on December 1, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/no-visitors-for-michael-kovrig-and-michael-spavor-because-of-covid-19-as-500th-day-in-chinese-prison-nears|title=No visitors for Michael Kovrig, Michael Spavor due to COVID-19 as 500th day in Chinese prison nears {{!}} National Post|last=News|date=April 18, 2020|language=en-CA|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2018/12/17/china-is-holding-two-canadians-hostages-its-not-even-denying-it/|title=Opinion {{!}} China is holding two Canadians as hostages. It’s not even denying it.|last=Clarke|first=Donald|website=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref> Kovrig's arrest has become a recent point of contention for [[Canada–China relations]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Staff|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/05/justin-trudeau-china-canada-beijing|title=Canada: Trudeau accuses China of using 'arbitrary detentions' for political ends|date=September 5, 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=April 29, 2020|last2=agencies|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>Kovrig was convicted of espionage and sentenced 11 years by a court in Dandong City, China, according to an announcement<ref>{{cite archive|https://web.archive.org/web/20210811024611/http://ddzy.chinacourt.gov.cn/article/detail/2021/08/id/6200660.shtml}}</ref> dated August 11, 2021 on the website of the court.<ref>{{Cite news|last=McKeen|First=Alex|date=2021-08-10|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/08/10/canadian-michael-spavor-found-guilty-of-espionage-charges-in-china-sentenced-to-11-years.html}}</ref>



== Education and professional background ==
== Education and professional background ==

Revision as of 23:09, 12 August 2021

Michael Kovrig is a Canadian-Hungarian[1] former diplomat who worked for the International Crisis Group, a transnational, pro-peace think tank. After being detained in December 2018, he was accused of espionage by the Chinese government in May 2019, although his arrest is widely considered to be political retaliation for the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on December 1, 2018.[2][3] Kovrig's arrest has become a recent point of contention for Canada–China relations.[4]Kovrig was convicted of espionage and sentenced 11 years by a court in Dandong City, China, according to an announcement[5] dated August 11, 2021 on the website of the court.[6]


Education and professional background

Kovrig is the grandson of the Austrian-born industrialist Joseph Kuchar, who immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia in 1951 and founded the Record Chemical Company (Recochem) in Montreal.[7][8]

Kovrig attended Royal St. George's College in Toronto and graduated from the University of Toronto in 1994.[9][7] In 2003 he graduated from Columbia University with a master's degree in international affairs.[7] Kovrig is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.[10] He worked for a time after graduation at the United Nations Development Programme in New York City and in Kabul, Afghanistan.[10]

From 2010 to 2016, Kovrig worked for Canada's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was stationed in Hong Kong and Beijing from 2012 to 2016.[11]

From 1996 to 1999, Kovrig was the singer of the Hungarian punk rock band Bankrupt. On July 15, 2021, Bankrupt released the song Pekingi nyár (Beijing Summer) and its English-language version The Plane To Toronto, in protest of his detention. The band announced that all proceeds from the song were to be donated to Hostage International, at the request of Kovrig's family.[12]

Arrest and detention

See also: Detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig and Hostage diplomacy

Kovrig joined the International Crisis Group in February 2017 as a senior adviser for North East Asia.[10] On December 10, 2018, Michael Kovrig was detained in Beijing around the same time as Michael Spavor, a Canadian consultant with a personal relationship with Kim Jong-un and a history of working with North Korea.[13] The prosecutors of the People's Republic of China charged the two Canadians with espionage endangering China's national security. If proven, such a crime may result in life sentences or more, to ensure the nondisclosure of illegally gathered intelligence. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called his arrest "arbitrary".[14]

On January 21, 2019, more than 220 prominent political and academic individuals signed a letter calling on China to release Kovrig and Spavor.[15]

In March 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Kovrig was permitted by the Chinese government to have a telephone conversation with his sick father.[16] On April 23, 2020, the 500th day of Kovrig's detention, Trudeau said consular visits for the detained Canadians were being blocked on account of the coronavirus lockdown.[17]

Trial and sentencing

Roughly two years after his detention, Michael Spavor was tried on March 19, 2021.[18] Michael Kovrig was tried on March 22, 2021; verdict was to be announced at an unspecified later date.[19] The trials were held in closed sessions[19] in accordance of China's Rules of Criminal Procedure for national security cases.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Blanchard, Ben (December 20, 2018). "Exclusive: Detained Canadian in China also Hungarian, Hungary seeks access - sources". Reuters. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  2. ^ News (April 18, 2020). "No visitors for Michael Kovrig, Michael Spavor due to COVID-19 as 500th day in Chinese prison nears | National Post". Retrieved April 29, 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ Clarke, Donald. "Opinion | China is holding two Canadians as hostages. It's not even denying it". Washington Post. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  4. ^ Staff; agencies (September 5, 2019). "Canada: Trudeau accuses China of using 'arbitrary detentions' for political ends". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  5. ^ cite archive: |collection= required; |institution= required; (help)
  6. ^ McKeen (August 10, 2021). https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/08/10/canadian-michael-spavor-found-guilty-of-espionage-charges-in-china-sentenced-to-11-years.html. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |First= ignored (|first= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ a b c O' Connor, Joe (July 9, 2020). "Captive in China: Michael Kovrig, the older brother who didn't come back". National Post. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  8. ^ "Joseph Kuchar". Montreal Gazette. March 11, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  9. ^ RSGC Alumni Association. "Michael Kovrig '89 is a former Canadian diplomat working as the Senior Advisor, North East Asia for the International Crisis Group. He has been detained in China, without offence, since December 2018. On behalf of the entire Georgian community, we pray for his health, safety and his safe return home. He is in our thoughts. We call on the Government of Canada to bring all of its resources to secure the release of Michael and Michael Spavor". www.facebook.com.
  10. ^ a b c "Michael Kovrig". Crisis Group. February 20, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  11. ^ "Canadian ex-diplomat 'held in China'". BBC News. December 12, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  12. ^ Zrt, HVG Kiadó (July 16, 2021). "Kínában ártatlanul börtönbe került volt énekeséről írt dalt a Bankrupt". hvg.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "Detention of Michael Kovrig". Crisis Group. December 12, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  14. ^ Staff; agencies (September 5, 2019). "Canada: Trudeau accuses China of using 'arbitrary detentions' for political ends". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  15. ^ "Mr. Xi, release these two Canadian citizens". The Globe and Mail Inc. January 21, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  16. ^ "Michael Kovrig granted phone call by China with ill father amid coronavirus pandemic". Global News. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  17. ^ "Held for 500 days: Trudeau confirms China blocking visits to Canadian duo". South China Morning Post. April 24, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  18. ^ "Canadians Alarmed by Trial of Businessman Accused of Spying in China". Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  19. ^ a b "Trial of Michael Kovrig concludes with verdict to come later, Chinese court says". CBC. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Michael_Kovrig&oldid=1038500683"