Macau activist Au Kam-san sentenced to 12.5 years in first national security case

Macau’s judiciary handed down a 12.5‑year prison term to activist Au Kam-san on Tuesday, marking the city’s inaugural conviction under its newly enforced national security legislation. The landmark ruling, delivered by the Court of First Instance, found Au guilty of multiple offenses related to subversion and inciting disorder, crimes newly criminalized under the stringent security law imposed by Beijing in 2023. Authorities said the sentence reflects the severity of actions deemed harmful to regional stability. Au’s conviction has drawn attention from legal experts and rights observers, who are closely monitoring how the law will be applied in future cases. The case underscores the Chinese government’s determination to enforce national security safeguards across the Special Administrative Region, even as it raises questions about the scope of political expression permitted under the new legal framework.

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