TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Czech prosecutors indicted the Prague correspondent for a Chinese state media outlet for allegedly collecting information likely to damage pro-Taiwan politicians.
The charges were the first brought under the offense of conducting unauthorized activities on behalf of a foreign power, CNA reported Wednesday. The maximum sentence for the offense is five years in prison.
Guangming Daily correspondent Yang Yiming allegedly worked for Chinese intelligence services to monitor politicians and academics, Czech website iRozhlas.cz reported. His targets included Senate President Milos Vystrcil and former Chamber of Deputies President Marketa Pekarova Adamova.
Yang was active as a journalist for many years and interviewed numerous prominent politicians in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech government extended his residence and reporting permits several times, according to CNA.
Police detained Yang in January, and a court ordered his continued detention because he posed a flight risk. An appeal against his detention was rejected in March.
A local court would normally handle his case, but because the charges involve national security, a higher-level city court will conduct the trial. Yang was indicted on May 15, but the court has not yet set a trial date.
