Ottawa-Michael Spavor is grateful to the Canadians and the world for their support a week after his 1,020-day trial in a Chinese prison.
Spavor was released with Michael Kovrig a week ago after the United States withdrew its charges against Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou.
Two men were arrested and convicted by China on December 1, 2018, in retaliation for arresting Meng at Vancouver Airport on an American extradition warrant. received.
The story ended when the United States signed a postponed prosecution agreement with Meng. As a result, she was withdrawn and the delivery request was withdrawn in a Vancouver court.
Meng, who had been under house arrest in a luxury mansion in Vancouver, was released and returned to China on a chartered airliner at the same time that Kobrig and Spaver departed from China with Canadian Ambassador Dominic Barton. .. Country.
Spaver arrived in his hometown of Calgary early Saturday morning on a Canadian Challenger Jet with Kobrig, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed them before Kobrig made the final journey to Toronto.
“I’m happy to finally meet my family again. It’s humble when I start to understand the ongoing support I receive from Canadians and people around the world,” Spavor said in a statement released by Global Affairs Canada on Friday. Said in.
“I am grateful for being outside and the simplicity around me.”
Spaver and Kobrig spent almost all their time in separate prisons, much of them in their own cells.
The message was accompanied by a photo of a smiling spaver and a large gray dog.
The Global Affairs statement, which accompanies the photo and statement, states: “At this time, families require you to continue to respect their privacy. No further comments will be provided.”
Mike Blanchefield
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