Michael Kovrig Describes Detention as Torture

Michael Kovrig, a Canadian man detained in China for over 1,000 days, has revealed the harrowing conditions he endured, including nearly six months of solitary confinement and daily interrogations lasting up to nine hours, which he described as psychological torture. In his first extensive interview since his release, Kovrig recounted missing the birth of his daughter and meeting her for the first time when she was two-and-a-half years old. Kovrig and fellow detainee Michael Spavor were arrested in December 2018 shortly after Canada detained Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou, leading to strained diplomatic relations between Canada and China. He emphasized that the treatment he received violated U.N. guidelines, which state that solitary confinement should not exceed 15 consecutive days. Both men were released in September 2021, coinciding with the dropping of the U.S. extradition request for Meng. Kovrig's statements highlight ongoing tensions in Canada-China relations, as diplomatic ties remain fragile.