After being detained in China and accused of spying, Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor are back in Canada.
The two men were detained almost three years ago, in what many Canadian politicians have called a controversial and retaliatory move by China, after Canada arrested Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on December 1, 2018, at the request of the U.S. government.
Meng and the U.S. government came to a deferred prosecution agreement early on Friday, which lead to her extradition case being dropped in B.C. and her return to China.
China continues to maintain that the two Michael’s were detained legitimately and not due to Meng’s arrested in Vancouver, but the timing if the release has Ottawa continuing to ask questions, and pushing for answers.
Spavor had been sentenced to 11 years behind bars, Kovrig was yet to stand trial.
Both of the businessmen were arrested just ten days after Meng was detained in Vancouver, they landed in Calgary early Saturday morning, where they were greeted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
