A Macau court on Friday sentenced former lawmaker and pro-democracy campaigner Au Kam San to 12 years and six months in prison in the Chinese territory's first national security case.
The 69-year-old was convicted of several offences including "subversion against the political power of the State". He was detained in July 2025, in what was the first publicly known prosecution under Macau's national security law since it was implemented in 2009.
According to a court statement, Au "personally provided, over a long period of time, assistance and collaboration to external hostile organisations in the collection, preparation, and public dissemination of various images and information that were manifestly filled with political claims of a subversive nature against the political authority of the State". The court added that he also sought to "incite hatred among Macau residents against the Central People's Government, with the intent to overthrow and undermine the fundamental system of the State enshrined in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China."
Au's trial was held behind closed doors and concluded in September after three days. A judge ruled out an open trial to safeguard national security interests, the court had earlier said. The closed-door proceedings raised concerns about fairness.
Critics say the case illustrates China's emphasis on security and its intolerance of dissent, even though Macau's pro-democracy movement has never been as influential as that of neighbouring Hong Kong. Last year, the European Union denounced Au's arrest, saying it added to concerns about the "erosion of political pluralism" in Macau.
Au, a teacher-turned-lawmaker, served in Macau's legislature, which is dominated by pro-China loyalists, for two decades and stepped down in 2021. He co-organised Macau's vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Macau's national security law produced no publicly known prosecutions from 2009 until Au's detention in July 2025, so this first sentencing marks how the territory applies the law.
- The closed-door trial raised concerns about judicial transparency in a special administrative region that, like Hong Kong, operates under Beijing's authority.
- International scrutiny, including the European Union's earlier denunciation of Au's arrest, could intensify now that a sentence has been handed down.
Background
Macau is a former Portuguese colony that reverted to China in 1999 and, like Hong Kong, operates as a special administrative region. Its national security law has been in force since 2009. Au, a teacher-turned-politician, served in Macau's legislature for two decades before stepping down in 2021, and he co-organised vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. His arrest in July 2025 was the first publicly known case brought under the 2009 law.
Key Perspectives
Macau court: said Au "personally provided, over a long period of time, assistance and collaboration to external hostile organisations" and sought to "incite hatred among Macau residents against the Central People's Government," with the intent to overthrow the state's fundamental system.
Critics: say the case illustrates China's emphasis on security and its intolerance of dissent, noting Macau's pro-democracy movement has never been as influential as Hong Kong's.
European Union: denounced Au's arrest last year, saying it added to concerns about the "erosion of political pluralism" in Macau.
What to Watch
- Whether the sentence draws further responses from foreign governments, following the EU's earlier statement on Au's arrest.
- Whether Macau authorities bring further prosecutions under the 2009 national security law, which would signal how the law is applied after this first case.
- Whether the closed-door procedure and the length of the sentence become a focus of international commentary on dissent in Macau.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedMacau’s case was the territory’s first national security trial.DW English: “Ex-lawmaker jailed in Macau's first national security trial.”
- SupportedAu Kam San was 69.DW English: “The 69-year-old was convicted of several offences including "subversion against the political power of the State".”
- SupportedAu was convicted of subversion.DW English: “The 69-year-old was convicted of several offences including "subversion against the political power of the State".”
- SupportedAu’s closed-door trial raised fairness concerns.DW English: “Au's closed-door trial — which ended in September in three days — had raised concerns about fairness.”
- SupportedA Macau court sentenced former lawmaker and pro-democracy campaigner Au Kam San to 12 years and six months in prison on Friday.DW English: “A court in Macau on Friday sentenced former lawmaker and pro-democracy campaigner Au Kam San to 12 years and six months in jail”
- SupportedAu was detained in July 2025, in the first publicly known prosecution under Macau’s national security law since its implementation in 2009.DW English: “The teacher-turned-lawmaker was detained in July 2025, in what was the first publicly known prosecution under Macau's national security law since it was implemented in 2009.”
- SupportedA court statement said Au “personally provided, over a long period of time, assistance and collaboration to external hostile organisations in the collection, preparation, and public dissemination of various images and information that were manifestly filled with political claims of a subversive nature against the political authority of the State”.DW English: “Au "personally provided, over a long period of time, assistance and collaboration to external hostile organisations in the collection, preparation, and public dissemination of various images and information that were manifestly filled with political claims of a subversive nature”
- SupportedThe court said Au sought to “incite hatred among Macau residents against the Central People's Government, with the intent to overthrow and undermine the fundamental system of the State enshrined in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China.”DW English: “The court added that Au also sought to "incite hatred among Macau residents against the Central People's Government, with the intent to overthrow and undermine the fundamental system of the State enshrined in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China."”
- SupportedAu’s closed-door trial ended in September after three days.DW English: “Au's closed-door trial — which ended in September in three days — had raised concerns about fairness.”
- SupportedA judge ruled out an open trial to safeguard national security interests, according to the court.DW English: “An open trial was ruled out by a judge to safeguard national security interests, the court had said earlier.”
- SupportedCritics say Au’s case illustrates China’s emphasis on security and intolerance of dissent, despite Macau’s pro-democracy movement being less influential than Hong Kong’s.DW English: “Critics say that Au's case illustrates China's emphasis on security and its intolerance of dissent, even though Macau's pro-democracy movement has never been as influential as its neighbor Hong Kong .”
- SupportedLast year, the European Union denounced Au’s arrest, saying it added to concerns about the erosion of political pluralism in Macau.DW English: “Last year, the European Union denounced Au's arrest, saying it added to the concerns about the "erosion of political pluralism" in Macau.”