Latest news with #prodemocracy
NHK
17 hours ago
- Politics
- NHK
Leading Macao democrat arrested for alleged violation of national security law
A former pro-democracy lawmaker in Macao has been arrested on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces. Local media say it is the first publicly known arrest in Macao under the national security law aimed at cracking down on anti-government activities. Police and media outlets in Macao say the suspect is 68-year-old Au Kam San. Au had served as a member of the territory's legislative assembly for 20 years and organized memorial events for victims of the Tiananmen Square incident. Au is known as a leading advocate for freedom and democracy. Police issued a statement on Thursday, saying that the suspect has colluded with foreign forces to incite hatred against Beijing and undermined national security. Macao is set to hold legislative elections in September. Pro-democracy candidates were barred from running in the elections four years ago. Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed a hardline stance aimed at containing pro-democracy moves in Macao when he spoke at a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of its return to China in December last year. He stressed that Chinese people should implement the overall jurisdiction of the central government and should not deviate from this commitment under any circumstance.
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Macao police arrest former pro-democracy lawmaker for colluding with foreign forces
Police in Macao detained a man believed to be a prominent pro-democracy advocate on suspicion of colluding with outside forces in breach of the national security law. Local media outlets reported former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San was the suspect. A police statement Thursday said the 68-year-old Macao resident with the surname Au allegedly colluded with an anti-China group outside of the city and provided false and seditious materials for public display online or abroad. The man, whose full name was not disclosed in the statement, also was accused of maintaining long-term contact with multiple anti-China entities outside of Macao and repeatedly providing unfounded information to them or their media outlets for dissemination. 'This was intended to incite hatred against China's central government and Macao's government among Macao residents and even people from other countries who may not understand the truth," police said. The authorities added that the acts aimed to undermine Macao's 2024 chief executive election and trigger hostile actions by foreign countries against Macao. Au was taken from his home Wednesday afternoon for investigation, they said. Local media outlets in Hong Kong and Macao reported the man was Au. Online outlet All About Macao said it was the first publicly known arrest under the national security law after the legislation was enacted in 2009 and revised in 2023. Au's wife arrived at the prosecution's office on Thursday and was listed as a 'witness," the outlet added. The Associated Press could not reach Au by phone Thursday afternoon. Au served as a pro-democracy lawmaker in Macao's legislature dominated by Beijing loyalists before stepping down in 2021. He remained a rare voice in the city who still regularly criticized government measures and political development on Facebook and in media interviews. Since the former Portuguese colony returned to Chinese rule in 1999, Macao has grown from a monopoly-driven gambling enclave into the world's biggest gaming hub. Under Beijing's grip, its pro-democracy camp was never as influential as the one in neighboring city Hong Kong, which is a former British colony that returned to China in 1997. Its government also faced far less massive protests challenging its rule when compared to Hong Kong. More intrusive political controls were introduced to the casino hub in recent years, especially after huge anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019 that led Beijing to crack down on virtually all public dissent. A vigil commemorating China's bloody 1989 military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests was banned. Pro-democracy figures were barred from running in Macao's 2021 legislative elections. Earlier this month, an incumbent lawmaker known for his centrist stance was also disqualified from running in this year's legislative election.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Macao police arrest former pro-democracy lawmaker for colluding with foreign forces
HONG KONG — Police in Macao detained a man believed to be a prominent pro-democracy advocate on suspicion of colluding with outside forces in breach of the national security law . Local media outlets reported former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San was the suspect. A police statement Thursday said the 68-year-old Macao resident with the surname Au allegedly colluded with an anti-China group outside of the city and provided false and seditious materials for public display online or abroad.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Macao police arrest former pro-democracy lawmaker for colluding with foreign forces
HONG KONG (AP) — Police in Macao detained a man believed to be a prominent pro-democracy advocate on suspicion of colluding with outside forces in breach of the national security law. Local media outlets reported former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Kam San was the suspect. A police statement Thursday said the 68-year-old Macao resident with the surname Au allegedly colluded with an anti-China group outside of the city and provided false and seditious materials for public display online or abroad. The man, whose full name was not disclosed in the statement, also was accused of maintaining long-term contact with multiple anti-China entities outside of Macao and repeatedly providing unfounded information to them or their media outlets for dissemination. 'This was intended to incite hatred against China's central government and Macao's government among Macao residents and even people from other countries who may not understand the truth,' police said. The authorities added that the acts aimed to undermine Macao's 2024 chief executive election and trigger hostile actions by foreign countries against Macao. Au was taken from his home Wednesday afternoon for investigation, they said. Local media outlets in Hong Kong and Macao reported the man was Au. Online outlet All About Macao said it was the first publicly known arrest under the national security law after the legislation was enacted in 2009 and revised in 2023. Au's wife arrived at the prosecution's office on Thursday and was listed as a 'witness,' the outlet added. The Associated Press could not reach Au by phone Thursday afternoon. Au served as a pro-democracy lawmaker in Macao's legislature dominated by Beijing loyalists before stepping down in 2021. He remained a rare voice in the city who still regularly criticized government measures and political development on Facebook and in media interviews. Since the former Portuguese colony returned to Chinese rule in 1999, Macao has grown from a monopoly-driven gambling enclave into the world's biggest gaming hub. Under Beijing's grip, its pro-democracy camp was never as influential as the one in neighboring city Hong Kong, which is a former British colony that returned to China in 1997. Its government also faced far less massive protests challenging its rule when compared to Hong Kong. More intrusive political controls were introduced to the casino hub in recent years, especially after huge anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019 that led Beijing to crack down on virtually all public dissent. A vigil commemorating China's bloody 1989 military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests was banned. Pro-democracy figures were barred from running in Macao's 2021 legislative elections. Earlier this month, an incumbent lawmaker known for his centrist stance was also disqualified from running in this year's legislative election.
The Australian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Australian
China hunts dissidents to the end of the earth
As with Dr Feng's friend, Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who is imprisoned in China after being sentenced to death on spying charges in February 2024, Australian citizenship appears to make no difference as the CCP pursues transnational regime critics. Adelaide lawyer and former Hong Kong pro-democracy politician Ted Hui and Melbourne-based lawyer and academic Kevin Yam already have substantial bounties on their heads. So do others among 150,000 Hong Kong people who have fled to Britain in recent years. The number fleeing should surprise no one. There can be no doubt about what awaits them if they remain in Hong Kong or China or put themselves within reach of the regime's agents. Recently, 45 pro-democracy leaders were jailed in Hong Kong for what Human Rights Watch described as 'baseless' national security charges. Jimmy Lai, 77, the brave Hong Kong newspaper publisher, is a constant reminder of the fate that befalls those who have the temerity to argue the cause of democracy and freedom in Hong Kong: he has been in solitary confinement, in a small cell with poor ventilation and no airconditioning for four years. In Britain, Chloe Chung, 19, lives with a 'capture and bring her back alive' bounty of more than $400,000 on her head for protests she took part in at the age of 14. As Foreign Minister Penny Wong said at the weekend, Australia has 'consistently expressed our strong objections' to the extraterritorial application of Hong Kong's national security legislation, and will continue to do so. Such is the harsh reality of what the CCP is and the threat it poses even to people in our midst, such as Dr Feng. The bounties on the pro-democracy campaigners are a reminder that the Prime Minister's visit did nothing to change Beijing's ingrained culture of oppression and intolerance of dissent.
