The national security unit of the Judicial Police announced, in a press release issued yesterday, the detention of a 68-year-old resident with the surname Au, on suspicion of violating the National Security Law. It has been confirmed that the suspect in question is the former legislator Au Kam San.
According to authorities, the former legislator was involved in a network of “collusion with anti-China organizations based abroad since 2022, regularly providing false and inflammatory content for international dissemination through digital platforms and foreign media.”
“Even after the law was revised in 2023, the accused continued to supply defamatory materials that supported the operations of these hostile groups.”
Authorities indicated that investigations revealed that Au Kam San maintained regular contact with multiple foreign anti-China entities, providing them with distorted information about the reality of Macau. This information would then be amplified by affiliated media, in a “clear effort to incite anti-government sentiment among the local population; negatively influence international public opinion; disrupt the electoral process for the Chief Executive in 2024; and foment sanctions and hostile measures against the MSAR.”
According to authorities, a police operation conducted on Wednesday at the former legislator’s residence in the city center was the culmination of “a long investigative process that gathered documentary and testimonial evidence.” The police added, “The accused established a stable collaboration network with hostile forces abroad, using coordinated methods to distort facts and manipulate public opinion.”
A spokesperson for the PJ declined to provide further statements at the regular press conference held yesterday. Au Kam San is allegedly charged under Article 13 of the National Security Law, which criminalizes “establishing connections with foreign entities for activities that compromise national security.”
The penalty for this crime ranges from three to ten years in prison, with the measure of preventive detention applied to Au. The case is under the Public Prosecutor’s Office, where the next procedural steps will be decided.
According to data available on the census records on the website of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Internal Administration (SGMAI) of Portugal, Au Kam San is identified as a “National Citizen.” PLATAFORMA attempted to obtain a comment from the Consul General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong, Alexandre Leitão, but received no response by the time of publication.
Au Kam San served as a legislator in the Legislative Assembly for 20 years until his retirement in 2021. The politician was also a leader of the Macau Union for the Development of Democracy, which held annual vigils in Senado Square for 30 consecutive years until 2020, when they were prohibited by authorities citing the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2021, the police elevated the ban on “June 4th” gatherings to a national security level, describing the event as incitement against the authority of the Central Government.
