Michael Spavor was found guilty of espionage in a case condemned by Western diplomats as political hostage-taking related to the detention in Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were arrested in China and charged with espionage shortly after Huawei executive Meng Wanzhoi was arrested in British Columbia at the request of the U.S.