Macau ex-lawmaker sentenced to 12.5 years in prison in city's first national security trial

HONG KONG: A leading Macau democrat was jailed for 12.5 years on Friday (Nov 6) on charges of subversion, in the China-ruled gambling hub's first known national security trial, local broadcaster TDM reported.

Au Kam San, 69, was arrested in July 2025 for collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security and tried behind closed doors on Sep 16 and 18, TDM said.

Au is one of Macau's most prominent democratic campaigners who served for nearly two decades as a lawmaker in the former Portuguese colony. His lawyer, who was appointed by the court, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.    

His sentencing comes a day after Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong, who became the global face of the financial hub's pro-democracy movement, was sentenced to 10 years in jail on ​a charge of collusion with foreign entities under the city's national security law.

Macau's Court of First Instance found Au guilty of subversion of state power, establishing links with foreign groups or individuals to commit activities endangering national security and violation of secrecy.  

"Although the defendant is a first-time offender and has admitted to a significant portion of the criminal acts, the degree of intent was extremely high, and both the unlawfulness of the conduct and the potential consequences are exceptionally grave," TDM said, citing the court.

The court acquitted Au on two additional counts of subversion due to insufficient evidence.

The applicable range for Au's cumulative sentence was between 11 years and 3 months and 19 years and 6 months of imprisonment, TDM said. "Following deliberation, the court imposed a single, consolidated sentence of 12 years and 6 months of imprisonment."

Through the years, Au had championed democratic reforms and civil society initiatives in the tiny enclave that returned from Portuguese to Chinese rule in 1999 - two years after the neighbouring former British colony of Hong Kong was handed back to China.

Human Rights Watch said the proceedings were "marred by violations of due process" and the sentence handed down by the Macao government "sends a chilling message to all peaceful critics in the territory".

Pro-democracy voices have faced an intense crackdown in the China-ruled territories since Hong Kong's 2019 protest movement. 

In February, media tycoon Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong's most vocal China critic, was jailed for 20 years for collusion with foreign forces and sedition following a landmark ​trial that sparked international criticism.