Missionary Kevin Garratt returns home
Jailed Canadian freed on heels of Trudeau’s China visit
A Canadian missionary who was arrested and jailed in China for two years on charges of espionage has been released and reunited with his family in Canada.
Kevin Garratt’s release comes on the heels of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s first visit to China since taking office.
“We are delighted that Kevin Garratt has returned safely to Canada and is with his family once more,” Trudeau said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon.
“We remain deeply impressed by the grace and resilience of the Garratt family, especially Kevin and (Kevin’s wife) Julia.”
According to a statement by the Garratt family circulating on social media, Chinese court officials issued a ruling on Tuesday in the case against Garratt. No details were released about the ruling.
On Thursday, Garratt was “deported from China and has returned to Canada to be with his family and friends.”
“The Garratt family thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers, and also thanks to the many individuals who worked to secure Kevin’s release,” the statement read.
Garratt, a former Vancouver resident, and his wife Julia had lived in China for 30 years, running a popular coffee shop and conducting Christian aid work, before they were arrested in August 2014 and accused of spying for Canada and stealing Chinese intelligence and state secrets. Julia was released on bail in February 2015.
When asked about the Garratt case during a joint news conference on Aug. 31 in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Kequiang promised that the Canadian in question would be treated humanely and his case handled in accordance with the law. Li did not reference Garratt by name.
At the time, Trudeau also referred to discussions with Li about the Garratt case but did not give any details. The prime minister had previously said he did not believe there was any evidence to support the accusations against Garratt.