Ex-Canadian Diplomat Opens Up About Horrendous Chinese Prison Ordeal

Michael Kovrig, a Canadian businessman and former diplomat, has opened up about the 1,019 days he spent imprisoned in China on espionage charges. Kovrig, who was detained in December 2018, was held in what was widely seen as retaliation for Canada’s arrest of Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou. The former diplomat was seized after a dinner in Beijing, just days after Meng’s arrest at the request of the United States.

Kovrig was working for the International Crisis Group at the time, and his detention, alongside fellow Canadian Michael Spavor, garnered international attention. The two were accused of espionage, charges that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described as “trumped-up” and intended to pressure the release of Meng, often referred to as the “princess of Huawei.”

In a series of interviews, including with CTV News and CBC, Kovrig detailed the psychological torment he endured during his time in solitary confinement. “You’re never actually alone,” he explained, describing how guards constantly monitored him. He also recounted how Chinese officials employed various psychological manipulation techniques to try to break him, including cutting his food rations and gaslighting him into accepting false guilt. Despite the pressure, Kovrig remained resolute, stating, “I told myself really early on that they’re never going to see me cry.”

During his imprisonment, Kovrig was denied access to fair legal proceedings. After spending more than 18 months in solitary confinement, he faced a private trial with little notice and no Canadian government representatives allowed to attend. The charges, including accusations of spying on state secrets, were seen as baseless by the Canadian government.

Kovrig was released in September 2021, on the same day that Meng Wanzhou was returned to China in a swap deal brokered with the U.S. His emotional reunion with his family, including meeting his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter for the first time, was captured on camera as he arrived back in Canada.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Kovrig expressed gratitude for the efforts made by the Canadian government but admitted that Canada had “underestimated” China’s ruthless response. Today, Kovrig warns against doing business in China, urging companies to consider alternative markets or develop exit strategies.

Despite being free, Kovrig acknowledges the lasting emotional toll of his detention. “I still carry a lot of pain around with me, and that can be heavy at times,” he said. His story serves as a reminder of the complexities of geopolitics and the personal cost of being caught in the middle of international disputes.