A former Macanese pro-democracy lawmaker became the first person to be arrested under the territory’s national security law, with authorities yesterday alleging that he had ties to foreign groups endangering China.
The Chinese casino hub, which has its own legal system largely based on Portuguese law, enacted national security legislation in 2009 and widened its powers in 2023, to bring it in line with similar laws in Hong Kong and China.
Macanese Judiciary Police said a 68-year-old local man surnamed Au (歐) was arrested and handed over to public prosecutors on suspicion of “establishing connections ... outside Macau to commit acts endangering national security.”
Photo: AP
Local media identified the man as Au Kam-san (歐錦新), a primary-school teacher who became one of Macau’s longest-serving pro-democracy legislators before deciding not to seek re-election in 2021.
The man allegedly provided “a large amount of false and seditious information to an anti-China group” for public exhibitions online and abroad since 2022, and “stirred up hatred” against the Macanese and Chinese governments.
He is also accused of spreading false information to groups, which allegedly disrupted the territory’s leadership election last year and caused foreign countries to take hostile action against Macau, police said in a statement, without naming the groups.
A stalwart of Macau’s tiny opposition camp, Au spent years campaigning on issues such as social welfare, corruption and electoral reform. He was one of the founders of several pro-democracy groups, including the New Macau Association.
Online news platform All About Macau reported that judicial police on Wednesday took away the former lawmaker and his wife, Virginia Cheang (鄭妙珊).
Cheang yesterday told the outlet outside the public prosecution office that she was listed as a witness and that she did not know why her husband was detained.
The former Portuguese colony reverted to Chinese rule in 1999 through a “one country, two systems” framework that promised a high degree of autonomy and rights protections.
For years it was regarded by Beijing as a poster child in contrast with neighboring Hong Kong, which often saw boisterous protests.
The high-water mark of Macau activism came in 2014 when 200,000 people rallied to oppose granting perks to retired government officials, an event that Au helped organize.
After Beijing cracked down on Hong Kong after months of huge and sometimes violent democracy protests in 2019, curbs established in that territory were extended to Macau.
Macanese officials last month disqualified 12 candidates from the legislative elections set for next month, saying that they did not uphold Macau’s mini-constitution or pledge allegiance to the territory.
Additional reporting Reuters
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