Macau jails ex-lawmaker Au Kam San 12.5 years in 1st security case
Why it matters: The closed-door ruling marks Macau's first known prosecution under its national security law since 2009.
Macau sentenced former lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Au Kam San to 12 years and six months in prison Friday in the city’s first national security case. The Court of First Instance convicted the 69-year-old on charges including subversion, breaching confidentiality and establishing contact with outside groups to endanger national security after a closed-door trial in September. Au, a former Legislative Assembly member and longtime organizer of Tiananmen vigil events, was arrested in July 2025. His wife, Virginia Cheang, called the case a political trial and a groundless persecution. Critics including Human Rights Watch said the proceedings raised due-process concerns in the Chinese special administrative region.