Chinese man suspected of spying left the country, Czech prosecutors criticized the police for not notifying him, which affected the prosecution

(Central News Agency reporter Liu Yuting, Prague, 13th) Yang Yiming, a Chinese man suspected of spying for the Chinese intelligence agency, returned to China after being acquitted in the first instance by a Czech court. According to Czech media reports, Yang Yiming left the country because the Czech Foreigners Police Department issued a departure order requiring him to leave the Czech Republic. The prosecutor expressed dissatisfaction with this and criticized the police for not notifying the case handling unit in advance, which has affected subsequent judicial prosecution.

Czech media Deník N reported that Yang Yiming took a flight back to Beijing from Havel Airport in Prague on the 6th. Yang Yiming's defense lawyer Michal Sýkora confirmed that after Yang Yiming was acquitted and released, he reported to the Foreigners Police Station in accordance with the law. The police then issued a departure order to him, requiring him to leave the Czech Republic.

Sources within the police also confirmed that Yang Yiming had indeed received the order. However, the Czech Foreigners Police Department refused to elaborate further, saying only that the police have no legal right to provide personal information of specific individuals to the outside world.

This decision caused dissatisfaction among prosecutors and investigators handling the case. Martin Bílý, prosecutor of the Prague High Prosecutor's Office who is responsible for supervising this case, said that neither the prosecutor's office nor the "Czech National Center for Counter-Terrorism, Counter-Extremism and Cybercrime" have received notification from the foreign police, and it is unclear what procedural measures the police will take against the defendant.

Billy pointed out that the police did not even notify the case handling unit that Yang Yiming's visa had expired while in custody and he would be required to leave the country after his release.

He said that once the suspect returns to his home country, subsequent criminal prosecution will be more difficult, because the Czech judicial authorities must conduct follow-up legal actions through international mutual legal assistance procedures, and whether the suspect can be successfully implemented also depends on the degree of cooperation of the other country.

Billy also pointed out that the court could have issued a ban on leaving the country for Yang Yiming, but the prosecutor handling the case at the time lacked relevant information, such as not knowing that his visa was about to expire, and therefore failed to take relevant measures in time.

An unnamed senior Czech official defended the police decision, saying that Yang Yiming had legal residency status during his detention, but no longer had legal residency status after his release. Since the Czech authorities had not previously extended his residence permit, the police were legally required to ask him to leave the country.

Yang Yiming is suspected of being dispatched to Prague by Chinese intelligence agencies to collect information on policies and plans of Czech politicians and government agencies. Prague District Court Judge Tome Frankič recently determined that Yang Yiming did cooperate with Chinese intelligence agencies, had repeatedly requested further work instructions from China, and had secretly met with the person responsible for directing him.

However, Frankic said that the information collected by Yang Yiming did not endanger the Czech national security or constitutional system, and the relevant behavior did not fully meet the constituent elements of the crime of "unauthorized activities on behalf of foreign forces", so the verdict was not guilty.

The prosecutor has filed an appeal in court and the case will be heard by the Prague High Court, but Yang Yiming will not be in the Czech Republic at that time.

The report mentioned that Yang Yiming's return to China may also affect another Czech businessman currently detained by the Chinese authorities. This Czech businessman once handled related business in China on behalf of Czechoslovakia Group (CSG), the largest Czech military industrial group, and was responsible for matters involving Czech radar equipment manufacturer Eldis. Eldis radars have been supplied to local airports in China since 2018.

Chinese authorities are investigating the Czech businessman for allegedly endangering national security, but have not yet formally charged him.

Czech security sources believe Beijing may view the businessman as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Czech Republic.

According to reports, the Czech government is currently observing whether China will adopt a more friendly attitude towards the release of detained Czech citizens due to Yang Yiming's return to China.