While the article did not carry a byline, on Twitter, the paper's editor Hu Xijin said that an anonymous source had told him "China's judicial department will conduct first trial over these two cases soon." Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat who worked for the International Crisis Group (ICG), is accused by the Chinese authorities of "stealing sensitive information and intelligence through contacts in China since 2017," while Spavor, a businessman based in Beijing with a focus on North Korea, is accused of providing intelligence to Kovrig.
Chinese officials have not disclosed any evidence against the two men or information detailing their alleged crimes, but have said, "the facts are clear and evidence is solid."
