Au Kam San, a former representative and democracy activist, was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison on Friday by a court in Macau. This ruling was made in the first national security case in this Chinese territory. Au, 69, has been charged with several offenses including "subversion against the political power of the government."
Charges and Case Details
Au Kam San is accused of providing false information to anti-China organizations outside of Macau, aimed at inciting hatred against the city government and Beijing. This former teacher, who served as a representative for the people in the Macau Legislative Assembly, was arrested in July 2025, marking the first public prosecution under the Macau national security law since its implementation in 2009.
According to the court's statement, Au "has personally contributed to the collection, preparation, and public dissemination of images and information that are clearly filled with political claims of a subversive nature against the political power of the government over time." The court also stated that he attempted to "incite hatred among the residents of Macau against the central government of China, with the aim of overthrowing and undermining the fundamental system of government enshrined in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China."
Trial Details and Criticism
Au's trial was held in private and concluded in three days, raising concerns about fairness and justice. The judge rejected a public trial to protect national security interests. Critics say that Au's case reflects China's emphasis on security and its intolerance towards dissent, even though the pro-democracy movement in Macau has never been as influential as its neighbor, Hong Kong.
Last year, the European Union condemned Au's arrest, stating that this action has added to concerns about "the diminishing political pluralism" in Macau. Au served for two decades in the Macau Legislative Assembly, which was dominated by pro-China loyalists, and he resigned from his position in 2021.
He has also played a role in holding memorials in Macau for the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989 in Beijing. Macau, a former Portuguese colony, was handed back to China in 1999 and operates as a special administrative region of China, similar to Hong Kong.
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