Kevin and Julia Garratt, a Canadian couple detained in China in 2014 on spying charges, have spoken to the BBC about their experience. They were arrested in Dandong, a city on the North Korean border, where they had run a coffee shop and carried out Christian aid work since 2008. The couple had lived in China since 1984.
Kevin recalled being pulled from his wife in a restaurant lobby and forced into a car filled with officers. Julia, placed in a separate vehicle, described feeling intense fear and panic. Their arrest came shortly after Canadian authorities detained Su Bin, a Chinese national accused of cyber-espionage, for extradition to the US. Canadian officials believe the Garratts' detention was a retaliatory move.
The couple said they were never physically harmed but were under constant surveillance, with lights kept on day and night. They faced daily interrogations lasting up to six hours, with guards controlling access to basic necessities like water. Julia noted that guards even prevented her from covering her face to sleep, enforcing strict protocols.
Their ordeal mirrors recent cases of Canadian detainees in China, including former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, held since December 2018. The Garratts expressed sympathy for their situation, saying they understand what the men are going through.
Julia said the dinner invitation that led to their arrest was a carefully planned setup. They were eventually released after months of detention, but the couple remains affected by the experience.
