{
  "id": 8382048,
  "title": "Macau concludes first closed-door nat. security trial against ex-lawmaker and Tiananmen vigil co-organiser Au Kam San",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/macau-concludes-first-closed-door-nat-security-trial-against-ex-8382048",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-19T04:12:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hong Kong Free Press",
    "slug": "hong-kong-free-press",
    "url": "https://hongkongfp.com/2026/09/19/macau-concludes-first-closed-door-nat-security-trial-against-ex-lawmaker-and-tiananmen-vigil-co-organiser-au-kam-san/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Macau has concluded its first closed-door national security trial behind closed doors, a court announced on Friday, following the start of proceedings for a former pro-democracy lawmaker, Au Kam San, just days earlier. The verdict will be announced at a later date, the Court of First Instance stated. Macau expanded the application of national security laws in May 2023, and this year's legislation permits judges to conduct national security cases in secret. Au Kam San, a former lawmaker who was arrested in July 2025 on charges including subversion, was the first person to be prosecuted under the new laws and the first to face a closed trial. The court proceedings concluded on Wednesday, with the statement noting that \"the verdict will be delivered on a date to be scheduled later.\" Au, aged 69, faces charges of \"subversion of state power,\" collaborating with foreign groups and media outlets deemed harmful to China, and endangering national security. His legal team, led by London-based barrister Michael Polak, condemned the secretive nature of the trial, arguing that it undermines the fair evaluation of evidence and reflects a lack of due process. Legal experts Jorge Menezes and Michael Polak both emphasized that the trial's secrecy serves to intimidate individuals into compliance with the Chinese Communist Party, rather than promoting justice, security, or the rule of law. Au was among organizers of annual vigils in memory of the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, a unique practice in Macau and Hong Kong, both of which were once the only places in mainland China where such public commemorations were permitted.",
  "summary": "Macau has concluded its first national security trial behind closed doors, a court said on Friday, days after proceedings began in a former pro-democracy lawmaker’s case. A verdict will be issued at a later date, Macau’s Court of First Instance said in a statement. The Chinese casino hub expanded the scope of national security laws […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hong Kong Free Press",
        "title": "Macau concludes first closed-door nat. security trial against ex-lawmaker and Tiananmen vigil co-organiser Au Kam San",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/macau-concludes-first-closed-door-nat-security-trial-against-ex",
        "published": "2026-09-19T04:12:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}