The Lower Court (TJB) of Macau’s Court of First Instance (TPI) announced in a brief statement yesterday that it will proceed next Wednesday with the closed-door trial of the first case concerning national security.
The Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance will proceed, on September 16, with the trial of the national security case involving the defendant Au Kam San, the court said in Chinese- and Portuguese-language statements.
Both Chinese and Portuguese have official status in Macau.
At the request of the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) and with the confirmation of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Macao Special Administrative Region (CDSE), the presiding judge of the case, pursuant to Paragraph 2 of Article 9 of Law No. 9/1999 (Judicial Organisation Law), decided to conduct the trial behind closed doors in order to ensure that no prejudice is caused to the interests of national security.
Au was a directly elected member of Macau’s Legislative Assembly (AL) between 2001 and 2021.
In July 2025, Au was arrested by the Judiciary Police (PJ) for alleged collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security, a crime under the revised Macau National Security Law. He has been remanded in custody since his arrest.
Au, a teacher by profession, was born in Macau in April 1957.
According to previous local media reports, Au will be defended by a court-appointed lawyer approved by the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Macao Special Administrative Region.
He faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment, the maximum allowed by the Macau Penal Code, which strictly prohibits life sentences, indefinite imprisonment, and capital punishment.
