Au Kam San jailed for 12½ years in Macau’s first national security trial
The former lawmaker was convicted on five of seven charges under Macau’s widened national security laws, according to reports on the court’s ruling.
Macau sentenced former lawmaker and democracy campaigner Au Kam San to 12 years and six months in prison on 6 November 2026, in the first conviction under the territory’s national security laws widened in 2023, AFP reported. The 69-year-old was convicted in a case that included both guilty findings and acquittals, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
What the Macau court decided
The Court of First Instance found Au guilty on five of seven charges, SCMP reported: four under the national security law and one for violating secrecy. The national security convictions included subversion of state power and establishing links with foreign groups or individuals to carry out activities endangering national security. The court acquitted him of two subversion counts linked to alleged collusion with multiple foreign organisations, the report said.
AFP reported that the court statement said Au had assisted external organisations over a prolonged period in collecting and publicly disseminating material it characterised as politically subversive. It also accused him of seeking to incite hatred against China’s central government. Those are the court’s stated grounds; the reports do not include a response from Au or his lawyers to the verdict.
The case and Au’s political background
Au was detained in July 2025, and his closed-door trial ended in September after three days, according to AFP and SCMP. AFP said the European Union condemned his arrest in 2025, citing concern about an erosion of political pluralism in Macau.
A former teacher, Au entered politics after China’s 1989 crackdown and co-organised annual Macau vigils for its victims, AFP reported. In a 2024 interview with AFP, he said he believed democratic change might still take root: “Even though we are in a bitter winter, if there are changes to the external environment, these seeds in Macau may yet have a chance to sprout and forge a new path towards democracy.”
Justice Abroad said Au’s family had not been allowed to see or speak with him since shortly after his detention. The organisation said they received one call, lasting less than a minute, the day after his arrest. His daughter Cherry said the family wanted a fair trial and due process and asked to visit or communicate with him. The family-access account is attributed to Justice Abroad.
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Sources and context
- China’s Macau jails ex-lawmaker in first national security trialThe Straits Times, carrying AFP reporting
- Breaking | 12½ years’ jail for ex-Macau lawmaker Au Kam-san in city’s first national security trialSouth China Morning Post
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.