Macao court sentences former lawmaker to 12.5 years in prison

Au Kam San, a former lawmaker in Macao, will spend 12.5 years in prison after a court sentenced him Friday. The verdict marks the first time the casino hub has handed down a prison term under its national security law since the statute took effect in 2009. The trial took place behind closed doors, a move that critics say raised questions about fairness in the process.

The court found Au guilty of subverting state power and breaching confidentiality. It also ruled that he established contact with organizations outside Macao to carry out acts that endangered national security. According to a court statement, Au assisted and cooperated with hostile foreign groups for a long period. He collected and disseminated political views that the court said aimed to subvert state power and spread false information.

The statement explained that these groups conspired to incite hatred among Macao residents against the central government. The intent, the court said, was to overthrow and undermine the country's fundamental system. The judge noted that although Au was a first-time offender, he demonstrated a high degree of intent. The court described the degree of unlawfulness and the potential consequences of his crimes as very serious.

Au's wife, Virginia Cheang, wrote in a public letter that the trial was a form of groundless persecution. She questioned why a closed-door trial led to a public verdict, calling it a political operation designed to humiliate her husband's character. Au's daughter, Au Hon I, who lives in London, described her father as a peaceful family man who cares deeply about Macao. She said it was unbearable to think of him spending more time in prison without having done anything criminal.

Au Hon I added that a lawyer arranged by the family earlier was not able to see her father. She felt the ruling sets boundaries for what citizens can do and what rights they hold. She called the situation a very scary chapter for Macao residents. Michael Polak, Au's international counsel, urged Portugal and the European Union to demand that the 69-year-old be allowed to leave Macao. He described the sentence as a life sentence for someone of that age and warned he could die in prison.

Jorge Menezes, a Portuguese lawyer practicing in Macao, said the trial's secrecy meant specific details about the organizations involved were not revealed. He noted that the court statement said Au acknowledged some facts, which might lead people to believe he confessed. Menezes argued that Au did not plead guilty and that the phrasing violated his dignity. He said the case sends a message to anyone who challenges the authorities in Macao and possibly in neighboring Hong Kong.

The court found that Au helped overseas organizations spread false and distorted information between 2023 and 2024. The goal was to induce foreign countries to take hostile actions against China and Macao and to undermine the 2024 city leader election. As a lawmaker in 2021, Au leaked confidential information from closed-door committee meetings about the renewal of gaming licenses to those groups. 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 said the ruling demonstrated Macao's firm resolve in safeguarding national security. China's Foreign Ministry stated that it firmly opposes any external forces using individual cases as a pretext to interfere in Macao's affairs. Au, a teacher who served in the legislature for 20 years, had been a rare voice in Macao criticizing government measures on social media and in interviews before his arrest.