The London Crown Prosecution Service has dropped charges of espionage for China against two British citizens, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The defendants, 30-year-old Christopher Cash, a former researcher who worked in the UK parliament, and 33-year-old Christopher Berry, have denied providing information that harmed the interests of the state, in breach of the Official Secrets Act, between December 2021 and February 2023.
The two were due to stand trial next month. However, prosecutor Tom Little told the Old Bailey in London that the prosecution would not present evidence and that "we simply cannot continue to prosecute this case," without giving a reason for the decision.
The British government claims that Chinese spies have targeted key officials in politics, defense and business as part of an increasingly sophisticated operation to access state secrets.
China, for its part, categorically denies the allegations and describes them as "exaggerations."