1/ Important piece on #michaelkovrig's detention via @washingtonpost that makes several key points:
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2018/…
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2018/…
2/ "People in the int'l NGO, business, academic & diplomatic communities who deal with China should pay attention. Kovrig’s employer, the International Crisis Group, is supported by a number of European governments & is not considered inimical by China".
3/ "What Kovrig did there was exactly what huge numbers of other people in those communities do in China: He went around and talked to people.... Now we know that these activities can be instantly made the basis for serious criminal charges against anyone whose gvt offends China"
4/ It is also worth noting that Kovrig formerly worked as a Canadian diplomat ... Does anyone think that the ... people holding him ... are conscientiously limiting their questioning strictly to his activities since he began working for ICG ?"
5/ "Every gvt should be concerned about this. If governments let this slide, they are acquiescing in China’s being able to detain any ex diplomat to question him or her, under considerable duress, about anything".
6/ "The international community must be more vocal in standing up for the innocent to protect its own interests, and not assume that these things can happen only to luckless Canadians and Americans."
