After being released from Chinese custody three years later, Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, has for the first time granted a public interview, recounting the suffering he endured while being detained by the Chinese Communist Party.
During an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Kovrig described how he was forcibly separated from his wife, who was six months pregnant. He was blindfolded and taken to a cell, where he experienced various forms of physical and psychological torment.
“This was absolutely the most difficult, most painful thing I have ever been through,” Kovrig said, mentioning being held in solitary confinement, completely isolated, and subjected to merciless interrogations lasting 6 to 9 hours daily.
Although UN guidelines stipulate that solitary confinement should not exceed 15 consecutive days, Kovrig pointed out that he was held in a windowless cell for nearly six months.
“I overestimated the CCP’s rationality and underestimated their cruelty,” he said.
Kovrig was detained in December 2018, widely believed to be a retaliatory action by Chinese authorities after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. At the request of US authorities, Canada detained Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver. The US accused Meng Wanzhou of concealing business dealings between Huawei’s Hong Kong subsidiary Skycom and Iran, violating US sanctions, and sought her extradition.
While Meng Wanzhou was under house arrest in her multi-million-dollar Vancouver mansion for nearly three years, Kovrig’s detention conditions were much harsher. Due to restrictions on visits by Canadian consular officials and lawyers, much of these circumstances remained hidden.
Kovrig vividly recalled the night of his detention. He said that around 10 pm, after dinner with his wife at Beijing’s Sanlitun SOHO area, he was arrested.
As they approached their apartment building, a group of “men in black” suddenly surrounded them. They snatched Kovrig’s phone, grabbed his arm, forcibly separated him from his wife, handcuffed him, pushed him into a black SUV, and blindfolded him.
“Just before they pushed me into the car, I turned back to look at my wife, and we made eye contact,” Kovrig recalled, trying to tell her to stay safe, “I didn’t know when I would see her again.”
Kovrig said he was taken to a facility in southern Beijing, about a 45-minute drive away. He counted the seconds, trying to estimate the distance. Upon arrival, he heard the crunch of gravel under the wheels, barking dogs, and the echoing sound of gates opening before being led into a building.
Inside, Kovrig found himself facing a man with thick glasses, whose glaring light shone on Kovrig’s face. The man told him he was suspected of endangering China’s national security and had to undergo interrogation.
“At that moment, a chill ran down my spine, and I felt extremely uncomfortable,” Kovrig said.
Later, he was placed in a windowless cell with cushioned walls. There, he endured nearly six months in solitary confinement and prolonged interrogations. He mentioned experiencing “great physical stress,” such as being locked in a chair for hours on end, losing about 10 kilograms in the first month due to insufficient food.
“I was always hungry,” Kovrig said.
After a while, Kovrig was transferred to a larger cell with more than a dozen Chinese cellmates. He described this shift as “from hell to limbo.” The new cell had a high ceiling, sunlight streaming through acrylic windows. He spent the next two years there.
Kovrig found solace in books, including a Chinese dictionary, which changed his mindset.
“I am not a hostage, not a criminal, and not any other false accusation from the CCP. I am a prisoner in the cell. I am a student understanding the world, a student studying philosophy, a student learning Chinese,” he said.
He wrote letters to his family, long notes to his daughter whom he had never met, expressing his love and commemorating her first birthday. He evaded guard scrutiny, cautiously conveying his emotions.
“Letters to family were like light coming through a deep crevice,” Kovrig said.
Shortly after Meng Wanzhou’s arrest, another Canadian citizen, Michael Spavor, was also detained in China. Kovrig said he only learned during his interrogation by the Chinese authorities that Spavor was also in custody.
Kovrig mentioned that he was pressured by the authorities to reveal contacts with the “most useful and information-rich foreign individuals on China.”
He said Spavor was a tourist guide operating a travel agency specializing in North Korean trips. Spavor did not speak Chinese and could not provide expert views on Chinese issues.
Kovrig claimed that the interrogation about Spavor was “completely unfounded,” as the investigators quickly gave up since there were no substantial questions to pursue.
Spavor was subsequently tried in China on March 19, 2021, in a closed trial where Canadian consular officials were not allowed. He faced espionage charges, receiving an 11-year prison sentence, which Ottawa condemned.
Both Spavor and Kovrig were released on the same day in September 2021 along with Meng Wanzhou.
Spavor later claimed that he was detained by the CCP because he inadvertently shared sensitive information with Kovrig, which was later passed on to Ottawa and Canada’s foreign allies. He then sued the Canadian government and reached a $7 million settlement in March 2024.
In response to Spavor’s allegations, the Canadian Department of Global Affairs stated that all claims of these two Canadians engaging in “espionage activities” would only reinforce China’s baseless accusations of their arrest.
When asked about Spavor’s accusations, Kovrig expressed disappointment, as the claim sparked concerns again that he was a spy.
“It’s really hurtful. There are many reasons why this is damaging. First of all, it’s not true. I have never been a spy,” Kovrig said. “Frankly, what disappoints me is how quickly so many are willing to believe a groundless claim.”
Reflecting on his ordeal, Kovrig suggested that the Canadian government should “be better prepared and strategize” when undertaking actions that may irk China and potentially result in Canadian citizens being detained.
He pointed out that the Chinese authorities are willing to use hostage diplomacy, regardless of who their target may be.
“They want a hostage; they want to grab someone. If it’s not me, it will be someone else,” Kovrig said.
“In fact, a small comfort I derived from this experience is that I endured this ordeal to spare others from suffering,” Kovrig said.