A closed-door court in Macao has sentenced 69-year-old former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San to 12½ years in prison, concluding the casino hub's first national security trial since enacting its security legislation in 2009. The lengthy prison term, handed down following a secret trial held in September, has drawn swift criticism from his family and legal observers, who argue that the lack of public scrutiny compromised fundamental standards of fairness.
Au, a veteran teacher-turned-lawmaker who served in Macao's legislature for two decades before stepping down in 2021, was convicted of subverting state power, breaching confidentiality, and colluding with entities outside Macao to endanger national security. According to a court statement, Au collaborated with "hostile organizations" overseas between 2023 and 2024 to circulate distorted information, incite hostility toward the central government, and leak confidential committee material regarding gaming license renewals. Although acknowledging Au was a first-time offender who admitted to certain factual details, the court emphasized his "high degree of intent" and the gravity of the potential harm.
Au's family and defense advocates vigorously contested the proceedings. His wife, Virginia Cheang, condemned the closed trial as a "political trial" and "groundless persecution," while his daughter reported that a lawyer arranged by the family had been prevented from meeting with him. Although the court maintained that an approved attorney represented Au and upheld his defense rights, Macao-based Portuguese lawyer Jorge Menezes pointed out that key evidence—such as which specific groups were involved—remained hidden from the public. Menezes also warned that the court's statement misleadingly suggested Au had confessed, even though he had not pleaded guilty.
The verdict marks an unprecedented escalation in Beijing's security-first approach within Macao, a former Portuguese colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1999 and had long maintained a far quieter political landscape than neighboring Hong Kong. With Au holding Portuguese citizenship, his international legal counsel urged Portugal and the European Union to intervene, warning that a decade-plus sentence for a man of his age could effectively amount to life imprisonment. Legal observers and family members fear the ruling establishes a chilling precedent, signaling that even mild, longstanding critical voices will no longer be tolerated.