Former Macau lawmaker Au Kam San faces first national‑security arrest under SAR law

Former pro‑democracy legislator Au Kam San was arrested in July 2025, marking the first publicly known case under Macau’s 2009 national‑security law. He is accused of supplying false information to overseas anti‑China organisations and of inciting hatred against Beijing. Au’s daughter, Au Hon I, said he has been held in incommunicado detention, denied access to a chosen lawyer and had books linked to the 1989 Tiananmen Square movement seized from his home. A court statement confirmed a preliminary hearing on 2 July, with a court‑appointed lawyer. Critics argue the case raises serious doubts about the fairness of Macau’s legal process, while the Macau government has not commented. The arrest highlights Beijing’s tightening security grip in the special‑administrative region, which, unlike Hong Kong, has seen limited pro‑democracy activism.