Prosecutors have arrested a man working for a far-right politician in Germany on suspicion of spying for China. The man as an assistant to AfD MEP and European election candidate Maximilian Krah. He was arrested in the eastern city of Dresden.

He allegedly passed information about the European Parliament to Chinese intelligence. He is also suspected of spying on Chinese opposition figures in Germany. The allegations come at an awkward time, ahead of this year’s European Parliament elections. The AfD said if his aide’s allegations were found to be true, he would be terminated immediately. Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the allegations were extremely serious. China’s foreign affairs ministry rejected the arrest as speculation designed to smear and suppress China. Jian G was due to go before an investigative judge later on Tuesday.

Read More: German Far-right party aide held in China spy probe