Macau democrat 'colluded with foreign forces'

A leading Macau democrat, Au Kam San, was arrested for collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security and was held in detention on Thursday in what is the first known arrest under the China-ruled city’s national security law.

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Mr Au, 68, is one of Macau’s most prominent democratic campaigners who served for nearly two decades as a lawmaker.

Macau’s Public Prosecutions Office said “compulsory detention” has been imposed on Mr Au after a “preliminary investigation” following his arrest at his home the day before, according to a statement.

The statement added that the Public Prosecutions Office would fully hold accountable those who attempt to disrupt national security, and to “confront hostile forces to the end”.

Mr Au is alleged by the police to have been in contact with an anti-China organisation based abroad since 2022, providing what they claimed is “false and seditious information” in order to incite hatred against the Chinese government.