Ex-lawmaker gets 12.5 years in Macao's first national security case
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lawmaker → get → case
Macao pro-democracy former lawmaker Au Kam San was sentenced to 12½ years in prison Friday in the Chinese casino hub's first national security case following a closed-door trial that raised concerns about fairness.
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that → sentence → fairness
Au's arrest last year was the first publicly known prosecution under Macao's national security law since it was enacted in 2009.
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it → know → 2009
A Macao court found him guilty of subverting state power, breaching confidentiality and establishing contact with organizations, groups or people outside Macao to commit acts endangering national security.
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him → find → security
Critics said that his case reflected Beijing's emphasis on security and intolerance of dissent, even though Macao's pro-democracy movement has never been as influential as that in neighboring Hong Kong.
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movement → say → Kong
The 69-year-old assisted and cooperated with "hostile organizations" outside Macao for a long period of time in collecting and disseminating political views laden with ideas of subverting state power and false information, according to a court statement.
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old → assist → statement
They conspired to incite hatred among Macao residents against the central government, with an intent to overthrow and undermine the country's fundamental system, it said.
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it → conspire → system
"Although the defendant is a first-time offender and admitted to a considerable portion of the criminal facts, he demonstrated a high degree of intent.
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he → admit → intent
The degree of unlawfulness and the potential consequences of his crimes are both very serious," the statement said.
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statement → say → crimes
Macao is a former Portuguese colony that has operated, like Hong Kong, as a special administrative region since its return to Chinese rule in 1999.
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that → operate → 1999
Au's wife says it's a groundless persecution
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it → say → ?
In a public letter, Au's wife, Virginia Cheang, wrote that she only hoped authorities would allow his family to exchange letters with Au and visit him regularly without conditions.
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family → write → conditions
It's a political trial and it's a groundless persecution to humiliate one's character," Cheang said.
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Cheang → humiliate → character
Au's daughter in London, Au Hon I, told The Associated Press that her father is a peaceful family man who cares deeply about Macao, and the thought of him spending more time in prison without having done anything criminal was unbearable.
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him → tell → anything
She said that a lawyer earlier arranged by her family wasn't able to see him.
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lawyer → say → him
She felt that the ruling was setting boundaries of what citizens can do and what rights they have, saying "it's a very scary chapter that they're starting."
"It just doesn't feel like a safe space anymore being in Macao.
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It → feel → Macao
it's very heartbreaking," she said.
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she → say → ?
The court said that a lawyer approved by Au was appointed to act for him during the legal proceedings, and that he had exercised his right to a defense.
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he → say → defense
The court also approved his family's request to visit him regularly.
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court → approve → him
Jorge Menezes, a Portuguese lawyer who practices in Macao, said that the trial was held in secret and that specific details — which organizations were involved and what information Au had provided to them — weren't revealed.
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Au → practice → them
Menezes noted that the statement said that Au had acknowledged some facts and it might have led people to believe that he had confessed to the crimes.
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he → note → crimes
"From what I see, he did not plead guilty.
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he → see → what
Otherwise, they would have said.
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they → say → ?
So this is misleading and unfortunate," he said.
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he → say → ?
"It violates his dignity."
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It → violate → dignity
He said that Au's case was used to send a message to Macao residents that it was about anyone who challenges the authorities.
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who → say → authorities
The case could also carry a message for Hong Kong, because Macao is "a sort of laboratory" for the financial hub in situations like this.
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Macao → carry → this
Michael Polak, Au's international counsel, urged Portugal and the European Union to demand that Au, a Portuguese citizen, be allowed to leave Macao.
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Au → urge → Macao
"A sentence like that for someone of that age is a sentence for life," he said.
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he → say → life
"If he was left in Macao, he could die in prison."
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he → leave → prison
The court found Au colluded with multiple overseas groups
Macao has its own political and legal systems and Macao is the only Chinese city where casino gambling is legal.
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gambling → find → systems
It has resorts run by affiliates of the American gaming companies MGM Resorts, Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts.
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It → have → companies
The court found that Au helped overseas organizations spread false and distorted information between 2023 and 2024 to induce foreign countries to take hostile actions against China and Macao, incite hatred against the central government and undermine the smooth running of the 2024 city leader election.
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organizations → find → election
As a lawmaker in 2021, Au leaked to overseas groups confidential information obtained during closed-door committee meetings over the renewal of gaming licenses, it said.
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it → leak → licenses
Au's trial was held behind closed doors in September.
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trial → hold → September
The court earlier said that the judge decided against an open trial to ensure that national security interests wouldn't be undermined.
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interests → say → trial
Au was seen as a mild pro-democracy activist
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Au → see → activist
Au, a teacher-turned-lawmaker, served in the legislature dominated by Beijing loyalists for 20 years before stepping down in 2021.
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Au → turn → 2021
Au said that he entered politics because he saw many social problems in daily life that required people to speak out.
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that → say → people
He said that the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement in 1989 brought him and his like-minded friends together, and he later felt Macao needed people to push forward an open and democratic society.
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people → say → society
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
