A Prague court found Chinese national Yang Yiming not guilty on Nov. 2 and ordered his release, while an appeal puts the verdict and custody order before a higher court, CTK reported.
CTK said the court found Yang’s conduct was not criminal. He had been charged with “unauthorised activity for a foreign power” and denied wrongdoing.
Yang was arrested in January after allegations that he cultivated contacts with Czech officials and gathered information potentially harmful to the country, CTK reported. The court did not require him to stay in the Czech Republic. His lawyer said Yang had no immediate plans to leave.
The state attorney challenged both the acquittal and the order ending Yang’s custody, CTK reported. The appeal sends the case to a higher court.
China sought Yang’s release while commenting on the Czech citizen detained there in June. Chinese officials said the man was held on suspicion of national security offenses. Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said the two cases were unrelated.
