Former Krah employee stands trial for espionage allegations - Trial initiated for ex-employees of Krah, accused of spying activities
In a high-stakes espionage trial, the former aide of Maximilian Krah, a controversial member of the German Bundestag and former AfD MEP, stands accused of spying for China. The trial, taking place at the Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Dresden, involves Jian G., who allegedly worked as a Chinese intelligence agent since 2002.
From 2019 to his arrest in April 2024, Jian G., while working as an assistant in Krah's office in the European Parliament, is said to have collected and transmitted over 500 partially confidential documents related to EU parliamentary negotiations and decisions to Chinese authorities. These documents reportedly included sensitive information about foreign trade, as well as personal intelligence on key AfD party leaders and Chinese opposition figures and dissidents in Germany.
The trial also involves a second defendant, Yaqi X., a Chinese national accused of helping Jian G. by providing information on flights, cargo, and passengers at Leipzig Airport, including military transport details.
Krah, who served in the European Parliament from 2019 to 2025, denies discussing internal party matters with Jian G. and rejects the espionage claims. The case has raised concerns about Chinese espionage targeting German political and military information and could have potential political implications for the AfD in Germany.
The defense for Jian G. has portrayed him as an engaged employee of Krah, who mainly dealt with the topic of foreign trade as an assistant in Krah's office. However, due to his origin and language skills, Jian G.'s tasks also included relations with China. The defense has rejected allegations of suspected espionage for a Chinese intelligence agency.
However, it cannot be ruled out that Jian G.'s conversation partners had connections to a Chinese intelligence agency. The trial is scheduled to have 13 trial dates until the end of September, providing a platform for both sides to present their evidence and arguments.
[1] The Local
[2] Deutsche Welle
[3] BBC News
[4] The Guardian
[5] Reuters
- The high-stakes espionage trial, ongoing at the Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Dresden, involving Jian G., a former aide of Maximilian Krah, an ex-AfD MEP, exposes the alarming extent to which EC countries' employment policies might be vulnerable to infiltration by foreign intelligence agencies, given the access such positions offer.
- Amidst the general-news coverage of the trailblazing espionage trial, the politics of the European parliament are under scrutiny, with concerns mounting about the impact of crime-and-justice issues such as Chinese espionage on the AfD party in Germany.
