Macao Court Sentences Former Lawmaker to 12.5 Years in Security Case
Au Kam San, a 69-year-old former legislator and Portuguese citizen, received the territory's first prison term under its national security law after a closed-door trial.
By Talia Bennett ·
A Macao court sentenced former lawmaker Au Kam San to 12 and a half years in prison on Friday. The verdict marks the first known prosecution under the territory's national security law since its enactment in 2009. The judge convicted Au of subverting state power, breaching confidentiality, and contacting overseas groups to endanger national security.
The trial took place behind closed doors in September. The judge cited national security interests as the reason for keeping the proceedings private. According to a court statement, Au assisted hostile organizations for a long period while collecting and disseminating political views intended to subvert state power. The court found that he conspired to incite hatred against the central government and aimed to overthrow the country's fundamental system.
The ruling drew immediate criticism from legal experts and family members. Virginia Cheang, Au's wife, called the process a groundless persecution in a public letter. She expressed hope that authorities would allow her family to visit and exchange letters with him regularly. The court approved the family's request for regular visits.
Au's daughter, Au Hon I, described her father as a peaceful family man. She stated that the verdict sets boundaries for citizens' rights and creates a scary chapter for the territory. She added that it does not feel like a safe space in Macao anymore. Michael Polak, Au's international counsel, urged Portugal and the European Union to demand that the 69-year-old be allowed to leave Macao. He argued that such a sentence for someone of that age is effectively a sentence for life.
The EU deplored the sentencing, stating that the conviction confirms the erosion of political pluralism and freedom of speech. The bloc noted that Au spent nearly a year in incommunicado detention after his arrest. Jorge Menezes, a local Portuguese lawyer, said the secret trial left key details about the involved organizations unexplained. He noted that the court statement's phrasing regarding Au's acknowledgment of facts was misleading.
The Macao government supported the ruling and urged all sectors to respect it. Beijing's office for Hong Kong and Macao Affairs said the verdict demonstrated a firm resolve to safeguard national security. China's Foreign Ministry stated that it firmly opposes external forces using individual cases to interfere in Macao's affairs.
The court found that Au colluded with overseas groups between 2023 and 2024 to spread distorted information. As a lawmaker in 2021, he leaked confidential information from closed-door committee meetings regarding gaming license renewals. He had served in the legislature for 20 years before stepping down in 2021.
