Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday called for the immediate and unconditional release of a former lawmaker following his arrest under national security charges, which marked the first time Macao has invoked China’s sweeping Law on Safeguarding National Security.

Maya Wang, associate China director at HRW, said, “The arrest… reflects the broadening repression radiating from China to Hong Kong and Macao under Chinese leader Xi Jinping.”

Wang warned of a growing trend of systemic censorship under which dozens of pro-democracy activists and journalists have been detained, and voting rights and freedom of speech have been heavily curtailed. On July 30, former lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Au Kam San was arrested after authorities accused him of violating Article 13 of the nationa

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