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Former pro-democracy lawmaker sentenced to 12 1/2 years in Macao’s first national security case
NBC News • • world
Key Points:
- Macao pro-democracy former lawmaker Au Kam San was sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison in the city’s first national security case, following a closed-door trial that raised fairness concerns.
- Au was found guilty of subverting state power, breaching confidentiality, and collaborating with external groups to endanger national security by inciting hatred against the central government.
- His prosecution marks the first public case under Macao’s national security law since its enactment in 2009 and reflects Beijing’s strict stance on dissent in the region.
- Au, a longtime critic of the government and organizer of Tiananmen Square commemorations in Macao, was denied access to family-appointed legal counsel and communication with his family for nearly a year.
- The closed trial was justified by authorities as necessary to protect national security interests, with the decision supported by Macao’s national security committee led by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai.
