LONDON (AP) 鈥 A former researcher working in the U.K. Parliament and another man charged with spying for China were granted bail Friday after an initial court appearance in London.
Christopher Cash, 29, and Christopher Berry, 32, were charged with violating the Official Secrets Act by providing information or documents that could be 鈥渦seful to an enemy鈥 鈥 China 鈥 and 鈥減rejudicial to the safety or interests鈥 of the U.K. between late 2021 and February 2023.
The two, who didn't enter a plea during their appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court, are accused of being in contact with each other and a person suspected of being a Chinese intelligence agent.
Cash, a parliamentary researcher who worked with senior lawmakers from the governing Conservatives, was ordered not to enter Parliament or contact members of the House of Commons.
Cash鈥檚 colleagues included Alicia Kearns, who now heads the powerful Foreign Affairs Committee, and her predecessor in that role, Tom Tugendhat, who is now security minister.
Berry is reportedly an academic based in Oxfordshire who has taught in China since 2015.
The defendants were also ordered not to to travel outside the U.K. or contact each other. They were ordered to appear May 10 at the Central Criminal Court known as the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing.
The Chinese Embassy has called the allegations 鈥渃ompletely fabricated鈥 and 鈥渕alicious slander,鈥 and urged the U.K. to 鈥渟top anti-China political manipulation.鈥
The pair were charged the same day that on suspicion of spying for China and arranging to transfer information on technology with potential military uses.
Also on Monday, an in the European Parliament was arrested on suspicion of spying for China.
British intelligence authorities have ratcheted up their warnings about Beijing鈥檚 covert activities in recent years.
