News

A Prague court has accepted an indictment against a suspected Chinese intelligence operative who allegedly worked in Prague under journalistic cover, marking the first case in which a person will stand trial in the Czech Republic for unauthorized activity on behalf of a foreign power.

According to Seznam Zprávy, the accused worked in Prague as a correspondent for a Chinese newspaper affiliated with the ruling Chinese Communist Party. The outlet said he had operated in the Czech Republic for years, repeatedly receiving accreditation extensions from the government.

He conducted interviews with Czech and Slovak politicians and, according to Czech intelligence services cited by Seznam Zprávy, allegedly sought to gather information from them.

The suspect has been in custody since his arrest in January and faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

This year's May has gone down as one of the deadliest months for Czech motorcyclists in recent years, with 11 riders killed in traffic accidents, the news website Novinky.cz reported citing police sources.

According to the head of the Czech Traffic Police Michal Hodboď responsibility lies with both motorcyclists and car drivers. Among riders, accidents are often linked to limited experience after the winter break, rider error, or losing control of the motorcycle in bends. Among motorists, the most common causes are failure to yield and overlooking motorcycles while overtaking, he said.

Since the beginning of the year, 24 motorcyclists have died on Czech roads, including one passenger. Eleven of those fatalities occurred in May alone. During the first five months of last year, 10 motorcyclists lost their lives, 14 fewer than this year. A total of 60 motorcyclists were killed in 2025.

French electronic component supplier Linxens, whose products are used in Czech identity cards, is partly owned by two Chinese investment firms that the United States placed under trade restrictions in 2024 over national security concerns, the Financial Times reported.

According to the newspaper, detailed knowledge of national identity documents could pose an intelligence risk. Linxens is owned through a holding company backed by Beijing-based private equity firms Wise Road Capital and JAC Capital, both of which were sanctioned by the US over allegations they helped China acquire sensitive semiconductor technologies.

The Czech state security printer said it had identified no security risks. It noted that the chip itself was produced by a “trusted Dutch company” and that Linxens met all legal requirements for participation in the procurement process.

The Czech Foreign Ministry has reinforced staffing at its embassy in Washington and its consulate general in Los Angeles ahead of the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said at a press conference in Prague on Tuesday.

The Foreign Ministry has already published basic information about the championship on its website, including travel advice, details on consular assistance, ticketing, and access to stadiums and fan zones. Fans travelling to World Cup events have been advised to register with the Foreign Ministry’s travel data base Drozd.

The Czech Football Association has also issued its own guide containing practical information and important contacts for supporters travelling to the tournament.

The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19.