Chinese courts to deliver verdicts for Canadian prisoners Robert Schellenberg and Michael Spavor
Two Chinese courts are expected to deliver long-awaited verdicts in the cases of Canadians Robert Schellenberg and Michael Spavor, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
A verdict for Schellenberg, who has been sentenced to death over drug smuggling charges, is expected Monday at 9 p.m. ET, which is 9 a.m. Tuesday in China.
The source said a verdict for Spavor, who has been detained by China since late 2018 on suspicion of espionage, is expected to be announced later this week, possibly as soon as tomorrow.
Schellenberg was initially convicted in November 2018 and given a 15-year sentence for playing a central role in a methamphetamine smuggling operation. That sentence was overturned in favour of the death penalty following a retrial that ended in early 2019.
Schellenberg appealed the death sentence, and today's verdict may determine if it is upheld, reduced or if Schellenberg will go to an additional retrial.
Spavor, meantime, was detained by Chinese authorities on Dec. 10, 2018 â€" nine days after Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies â€" was arrested while changing planes in Vancouver.
Another Canadian, Michael Kovrig, was arrested at the same time as Spavor. Kovrig is still awaiting a verdict following his trial, which ended in March.
More to come
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