Macao Court Hands Former Lawmaker 12.5-Year Sentence in First National Security Trial

A Macao court sentenced former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San to 12 and a half years in prison on Friday. The verdict concludes the special administrative region’s first prosecution under its national security law, a statute enacted in 2009 but rarely used until now.

The 69-year-old was found guilty of subverting state power, breaching confidentiality, and establishing contact with outside entities to commit acts endangering national security. A court statement said Au assisted and cooperated with hostile organizations over a long period to collect and spread political views. The statement claimed he sought to incite hatred against the central government and intended to overthrow the country’s fundamental system.

Au served in the Macao legislature for 20 years before retiring in 2021. He was a teacher by profession and an organizer of the local commemoration for the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Until his arrest last year, he was one of the few public figures in Macao who regularly criticized government measures on social media and in interviews, though critics often described his stance as mild.

The trial took place behind closed doors in September. The judge ruled against an open session to protect national security interests. This decision came at the request of the Public Prosecutions Office and with confirmation from the city’s national security committee, which is led by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai.

The defense process raised concerns about fairness among observers. In July, the court noted that Au was represented by a court-appointed lawyer. Authorities stated this lawyer was approved by Au and that his rights were protected by law. However, Au’s daughter, Au Hon I, who lives in London, told the Associated Press that a family-selected lawyer was barred from visiting her father in prison. She said the family was unable to speak with him for almost a year prior to the trial.

The case is viewed by critics as evidence of Beijing’s strict enforcement of security laws and its low tolerance for dissent in the region. Macao, a former Portuguese colony returned to Chinese rule in 1999, operates with its own political and legal systems. It is the only Chinese city where casino gambling is legal, hosting resorts from major American gaming firms.

The sentence takes effect immediately following the closed-door trial. Au’s legal team and family have acknowledged the verdict. The next step in the judicial process involves the formal execution of the prison term, with no public date yet set for a potential appeal hearing.