Former Macau lawmaker Au Kam-san jailed for 12.5 years in first security trial
The 69-year-old democracy campaigner was convicted of subversion and other offences after a closed-door trial in the former Portuguese colony.
A Macau court on Friday sentenced former lawmaker and democracy campaigner Au Kam-san to 12 years and six months in prison, in what the South China Morning Post and The Hindu described as the city's first national security trial. The Straits Times, carrying a Reuters report that cited local broadcaster TDM, called it the first known trial of its kind.
The Court of First Instance found the 69-year-old guilty on five of seven charges, the SCMP reported, citing a court press release. Four counts fell under the city's national security law and covered subversion of state power and establishing links with foreign groups or individuals to commit activities endangering national security. The fifth was violation of secrecy. He was acquitted on two further subversion counts, which the SCMP said arose from his alleged collusion with multiple foreign organisations. The Straits Times reported those counts failed for insufficient evidence.
According to a court statement quoted by The Hindu, Au gave "assistance and collaboration to external hostile organisations" over a long period in collecting and spreading images and information the court said carried subversive political claims. It said he also sought to "incite hatred among Macau residents against the Central People's Government".
TDM, cited by The Straits Times, quoted the court as saying that although Au was a first-time offender who had admitted a significant portion of the acts, "the degree of intent was extremely high". The available range for his combined sentence was 11 years and three months to 19 years and six months, TDM said.
Au was detained in July 2025. The Straits Times reported he was tried behind closed doors on September 16 and 18, while The Hindu said the closed-door trial ran over three days and ended in September. The Hindu said he is the first person convicted under national security laws widened in 2023.
A former teacher, Au entered politics after the 1989 crackdown in China and co-organised annual Tiananmen vigils. The SCMP said he served as a lawmaker for two decades until 2021. The Straits Times put his time in the legislature at nearly two decades.
Human Rights Watch said the proceedings were "marred by violations of due process". The European Union condemned his arrest last year, The Hindu reported. The group Justice Abroad said in July that his wife and three daughters had not been allowed to see or speak with him since shortly after his detention, apart from one call of under a minute.
The sentence came a day after Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong was jailed for 10 years on a charge of collusion with foreign entities, The Straits Times reported. Au's court-appointed lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sources: South China Morning Post, 12½ years’ jail for ex-Macau lawmaker Au Kam-san in city’s first national security trial; The Hindu, China's Macau jails ex-lawmaker in first national security trial; The Straits Times, Macau ex-lawmaker sentenced to 12.5 years in prison in city's first national security trial.
