Macao Lawmaker Sentenced to 12.5 Years
Au Kam San received the territory's first national security conviction in a trial held behind closed doors.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
A Macao court sentenced former lawmaker Au Kam San to 12.5 years in prison on Friday.
The conviction marks the first known prosecution under the territory's national security law since its enactment in 2009. Au was arrested in 2025. His trial took place in September 2026 behind closed doors to protect national security interests. The judge found Au guilty of subverting state power, breaching confidentiality, and contacting outside groups to endanger national security.
The court statement detailed that Au assisted hostile organizations in collecting and disseminating political views between 2023 and 2024. It alleged he conspired to incite hatred against the central government and undermine the 2024 city leader election. As a legislator in 2021, Au leaked confidential information from closed-door committee meetings regarding gaming license renewals. The court noted that although Au admitted to some criminal facts, he demonstrated a high degree of intent. The judge described the potential consequences of his crimes as very serious.
Virginia Cheang, Au's wife, issued a public letter calling the proceedings a political trial and groundless persecution. She requested that authorities allow the family to exchange letters and visit Au without conditions. The court approved the family's request for regular visits. Au's daughter, Au Hon I, said the ruling sets boundaries for citizen rights and makes Macao feel less like a safe space. She noted that a lawyer previously arranged by the family was unable to see her father.
Jorge Menezes, a Portuguese lawyer practicing in Macao, stated that the secret trial left specific details about the involved organizations and information undisclosed. Menezes argued that the court's language regarding Au's acknowledgment of facts was misleading because Au did not formally plead guilty. He said the case sends a message to residents who challenge authorities and serves as a laboratory for Hong Kong. Michael Polak, Au's international counsel, urged Portugal and the European Union to demand Au be allowed to leave Macao. Polak called the sentence a life sentence for a 69-year-old and warned he could die in prison.
Au served in the Macao legislature for 20 years before stepping down in 2021. He was a teacher before entering politics and organized commemoration events for the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Before his arrest, he regularly criticized government measures on social media and in interviews. The Macao government supported the ruling and said it would continue to strictly enforce the security law. Beijing's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office stated the ruling demonstrates a firm resolve to safeguard national security. China's Foreign Ministry said it opposes external forces using the case to interfere in Macao's affairs.
