The EU deplores the conviction and sentencing to 12 years and six months of former Macao lawmaker and EU citizen Au Kam San on 6 November. This first conviction under Macao’s Safeguarding National Security Law since its adoption in 2009 confirms the erosion of political pluralism and freedom of speech in the Special Administrative Region. We regret that access for public, press and diplomats was restricted.
After his arrest on 30 July 2025, Au Kam San had spent almost one year in incommunicado detention.
The EU recalls that the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is a central element of the Macao Basic Law and ‘one country, two systems’. It is essential that the protected rights and freedoms of Macao residents remain fully upheld in line with the Macao Basic Law, the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration of 1987 and Macao’s commitments under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights.
The EU, in cooperation with its Member States, will continue to closely monitor the human rights situation and fundamental freedoms in Macao.