cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/52593646 > Lawmakers in Macau, a city under Chinese rule, unanimously approved a bill on ​Thursday that allows court proceedings to be held behind ‌closed doors when deemed necessary to protect national security interests. > > The city enacted its first national security law in 2009 and tightened ​it with amendments in 2023. Last July, leading democrat Au ​Kam San was arrested for alleged collusion with ⁠foreign forces to endanger national security, the first known ​arrest under that law. > > […] > > The Macau government said ​the approval had ​demonstrated the ⁠successful implementation of the principle of “patriots governing Macau”. > > Unlike in Hong Kong, which saw big social ​movements challenge Chinese Communist Party rule in ​2014 and ⁠2019, the democratic opposition in the former Portuguese colony has always existed on the fringes amid tight Chinese control. > > […]