Thousands of Czechs are rallying in Prague to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Andrej Babis over a fraud scandal.

Babis faces charges that he has misused EU subsidies for a farm he transferred to his family members, including his son, Andrej Babis Jr.

Babis denies wrongdoing.

The Czech leader has been under increased pressure this week after his son told an online news portal he was deliberately kept in Crimea to avoid being questioned in the case.

Czech Republic Politics
Andrej Babis faces allegations that he has misused EU subsidies (Petr David Josek/AP)

Babis denies that, saying his son, who lives in Switzerland and is mentally ill, was there voluntarily.

More protests are scheduled for Saturday.

Babis’ coalition government will face a confidence vote in parliament’s lower house over the scandal.

Parliament’s upper house on Thursday asked Babis to step down until the investigation was completed.