Macau ex-lawmaker sentenced to 12.5 years in prison in city’s first national security trial – Club of Mozambique

Macau ex-lawmaker sentenced to 12.5 years in prison in city’s first national security trial  Club of Mozambique

Au was arrested in July 2025 and tried behind closed doors on September 16 and 18 Court cites extremely high intent and exceptionally grave potential consequenc A leading Macau democrat was jailed for 12.5 years ‌on Friday 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 September 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