Au Kam San, a pro-democracy activist, was convicted in Macau of subversion following allegations of links to foreign organizations

Former professor and lawmaker Au Kam San, one of the former leaders of Macao’s pro-democracy movement, has been convicted of “subversion against the state’s political power,” according to a court statement cited by AFP. He is the first person convicted in the territory under national security legislation.

Au Kam San was arrested in July 2025 and accused of maintaining links with foreign organizations that authorities claim were conducting activities threatening China’s security. Judges said the former lawmaker had, over an extended period, supported the collection, preparation and dissemination of images and information containing political messages deemed subversive.

The court also claimed that he had attempted to stir hostility toward the government among Macao residents, with the aim of undermining and overthrowing the state’s fundamental system.

The European Union condemned his arrest and expressed concern about the erosion of political pluralism in Macao. A former Portuguese colony returned to China in 1999, the region has its own legal system. The national security law, adopted in 2009 and expanded in 2023, also criminalizes treason, secession and subversion.