NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg gestures during media statements in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019. Stoltenberg urged Russia to respect a major Cold War-era missile treaty saying its missiles are nuclear capable and could reach European cities. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Republished January 31, 2019 - 2:46 AM
Original Publication Date January 31, 2019 - 1:56 AM
BUCHAREST, Romania - NATO's chief is calling on China to treat two Canadians detained in the country "fairly and with due process."
In his first public comments about the case, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said today that he was following their case "with concern."
He called on Beijing to address the concerns of the Canadian government, which wants the pair to be "immediately released."
Diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor have been detained in China since December for allegedly endangering national security.
Their arrests came shortly after Canadian authorities in Vancouver arrested Meng Wanzhou, a senior executive with Chinese firm Huawei Technologies, who is wanted by the U.S. on fraud charges.
Another Canadian, Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, received a death sentence for a previous drug-smuggling conviction, a harsher penalty than the 15 years of imprisonment he'd already been given.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2019