Macao: The United States Condemns Conviction of Pro-Democracy ex-Senator Au Kam San

JUSTICE ABROAD WELCOMES THE STATEMENT BY THE UNITED STATES CONDEMNING THE 'CONVICTION' OF PRO-DEMOCRACY EX-SENATOR MR AU KAM SAN, SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT IN MACAO'S FIRST NATIONAL SECURITY LAW PROSECUTION.

The United States

On 9 November 2026, a spokesperson for the Consulate General of the United States in Hong Kong and Macau said that the United States "strongly condemns" the sentencing of Mr Au, describing his prosecution as:

"another example of Beijing's use of sweeping national security powers to silence peaceful political dissent and suppress fundamental freedoms."

The spokesperson added that the verdicts against Mr Au and Hong Kong's Joshua Wong, who was sentenced to a further 10 years' imprisonment last week, underscore "Beijing's systematic erosion of rights and freedoms".

Growing International Condemnation

The United States now joins the European Union, Portugal and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, who have all expressed serious concern at Mr Au's conviction and sentence. The UN Human Rights Office noted that Mr Au was not represented by counsel of his choice.

Mr Au, 69, a Portuguese citizen and retired schoolteacher, was seized from his home on 30 July 2025, held incommunicado for almost a year, denied an independent lawyer and tried behind closed doors. Macao refused Portugal consular access, in breach of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Michael Polak, Director of Justice Abroad and Mr Au's international counsel, said:

"We welcome the United States' clear condemnation of Mr Au's conviction. The international community is now united in recognising that this was not a genuine criminal process, but the co-option of legal proceedings to silence a peaceful political voice. Words must now be followed by action: Mr Au must be released immediately and unconditionally and allowed to leave Macao."

Notes for the Press

For comments on this case by the lawyer, Michael Polak, please email contact@justiceabroad.co.uk

Michael Polak

Michael Polak is an international barrister based in London. He practises in international, criminal, and human rights law from Church Court Chambers. Michael is also Director of Justice Abroad which helps people who need assistance dealing with legal proceedings overseas as well as working on human rights advocacy for groups and individuals. He is chair of the group Lawyers for Uyghur Rights and was awarded the International Bar Association's Outstanding Young Lawyer Award for 2021.