\n<\/p>\n
Hong Kong — <\/span>Lawmaker in China’s casino city Macau<\/a> The bill unanimously passed a law Thursday that would allow closed-door hearings in cases where officials decide public proceedings would harm national security.<\/p>\n The law adds new powers to the National Security Committee in Macau, which is a special administrative region of China along with neighboring Hong Kong. Critics say officials in both cities have been strengthening their powers over political expression in recent years. <\/p>\n Under the new Macau law, if both the judge and the city’s National Security Committee decide that hearing a case publicly would harm national security, the judge can hold proceedings behind closed doors. <\/p>\n The committee, whose duties will include studying how the central Beijing government implements security policies, currently includes members such as security officials, police chiefs and city leaders. The legislation would also expand the committee’s membership to represent a somewhat broader cross-section of interests by adding other city officials, such as the heads of cultural affairs and education and youth development.<\/p>\n Allowing closed trials in criminal cases worries some observers, especially after he was detained by Macau police last year Former pro-democracy MLA and Kam San<\/a> On suspicion of collusion with external forces in the violation of the territory national security law<\/a>. This was the first publicly known case under the law since it came into force in 2009 and was amended in 2023.<\/p>\n The Macau government said in a statement that the bill passed on Thursday is of great importance for the effective protection of national sovereignty, security and development interests. It will come into effect one day after its publication in the Official Gazette. <\/p>\n