Macau’s First Security Case Sends Pro-Democracy Activist to Prison

Macau has sentenced former lawmaker and pro-democracy campaigner Au Kam San, 69, to 12 years and six months in prison in the territory’s first national security case. After a three-day trial held behind closed doors, Au was convicted of four of seven charges, including subversion against the political power of the state. Prosecutors said he had assisted “external hostile organisations” by collecting and sharing information they described as politically subversive. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the details of the case. Au’s wife, Virginia Cheang, called the prosecution a “groundless persecution designed to humiliate Au” and said she hoped the family would be allowed to write to and visit him regularly. His family had previously said he was not permitted to choose his own lawyer and was assigned one by the court. The case comes amid an expansion of Macau’s national security framework. The law, introduced in 2009, criminalised treason, secession and subversion; revisions in 2023 broadened its scope to include non-violent acts of secession, and further changes this year permitted trials to be held behind closed doors. Macau returned to Chinese administration in 1999 after more than four centuries of Portuguese rule. Au, a former primary school teacher, was elected to Macau’s Legislative Assembly in 2001 and served for 20 years as one of a small number of pro-democracy lawmakers in a legislature dominated by pro-Beijing members. He also co-organised annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Such vigils, once tolerated in Macau and Hong Kong, have effectively been banned since China imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong in 2020. Au’s sentence followed Hong Kong’s sentencing of democracy activist Joshua Wong to 10 years in prison. Wong has been in custody for six years.

Macau’s first publicly known national security prosecution has ended with former lawmaker and pro-democracy campaigner Au Kam San sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison. The 69-year-old was convicted of several offences, including “subversion against the political power of the State.” Prosecutors accused him of supplying false information to anti-China organizations outside Macau to encourage hostility toward the city’s government and Beijing. A court statement said Au had, over an extended period, helped external organizations collect, prepare and distribute images and information containing political claims it characterized as subversive. It also said he sought to stir hatred toward China’s central government and undermine the country’s political system. Au was detained in July 2025. His prosecution was the first publicly known case under Macau’s national security law, introduced in 2009. His trial was held behind closed doors and concluded in September after three days. A judge had rejected an open trial, citing the protection of national security. Critics raised concerns about the fairness of the proceedings and said the case reflects China’s prioritization of security and intolerance of dissent. The European Union had previously criticized Au’s arrest, warning that it added to concerns about the erosion of political pluralism in Macau. Au served for two decades in Macau’s legislature, which is dominated by pro-China loyalists, and left office in 2021. He also co-organized vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Macau, a former Portuguese colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1999, is a special administrative region, as is neighboring Hong Kong.

Former Macao lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Au Kam San was sentenced to 12½ years in prison in the territory’s first publicly known prosecution under its national security law, enacted in 2009. A court convicted the 69-year-old of subverting state power, breaching confidentiality and contacting people or organizations outside Macao to commit acts endangering national security. The trial took place behind closed doors in September. The court said Au had helped overseas groups disseminate information it characterized as false and had sought to incite hostility toward China’s central government and undermine the 2024 city leader election. It also said he disclosed confidential information about gaming-license renewals while serving as a lawmaker. The court described his intent and the potential consequences as serious, despite his being a first-time offender and admitting to some facts. Au’s family and legal observers challenged the proceedings and the court’s account. His wife, Virginia Cheang, called the case a political trial and groundless persecution. His daughter said the verdict could define the limits of citizens’ rights and described Macao as no longer feeling like a safe space. Portuguese lawyer Jorge Menezes said the secrecy around the trial and the lack of detail about the alleged organizations and information made the court’s statement potentially misleading; he said Au had not pleaded guilty. He also argued that the case sends a warning to residents and could have significance for Hong Kong. Au’s international counsel urged Portugal and the European Union to seek permission for the Portuguese citizen to leave Macao, warning that the sentence could amount to life in prison. Au served in Macao’s legislature for 20 years, leaving in 2021, and was known for mild criticism of government policy and for organizing commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Macao’s government backed the verdict and pledged strict enforcement of the security law. Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said it demonstrated Macao’s resolve to safeguard national security, while China’s Foreign Ministry opposed what it called outside interference.