Macau has applied a new national security legislation, growing penalties for opposition to Beijing and inserting a stronger concentrate on preventing foreign interference within the special administrative area. The legislation builds upon a regulation launched in 2009, and the Macau government claims it aligns with legislation in Hong Kong, where Beijing has tightened control following political unrest.
The preliminary national security law outlined seven main crimes, together with treason, subversion, theft of state secrets, and international collusion, with punishments of up to 25 years in prison. The offence of secession has now been expanded to embody non-violent acts. Additionally, opposition to any central authorities department or Beijing’s ideology may be punished underneath the updated definition of subversion. Savings have also been granted the power to focus on suspects beyond the city’s borders.
Critics argue that the new law considerably restricts liberties and rights in the territory. Jason Chao, former president of the pro-democratic New Macau Association, expressed his deep concern, stating, “Local journalists described the current state of affairs because the ice age and sadly the ice age goes to get colder.”
Chao further defined to BBC World Service’s Newshour programme, “The most worrying point is that folks wouldn’t know whether or not they were committing a crime if they tried to criticise the government. We have noticed how the nationwide safety law in Hong Kong has been vaguely interpreted.” He also questioned whether Macau’s authorities or mainland China’s would pursue these considered to have violated the legislation..