In Brief
- A Hong Kong court sentenced Joshua Wong, 30, to 10 years for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the national security law.
- Wong pleaded guilty. He was already serving a 56-month term and had been due for release in January 2027.
- Only two months and two days of the new term run concurrently with that sentence.
- Hong Kong and Chinese officials defended the ruling, while the United States, the United Kingdom and Human Rights Watch criticised it.
A Hong Kong High Court on Thursday sentenced pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the city's national security law (NSL). Wong, 30, had pleaded guilty. He was already serving a 56-month term in the "Hong Kong 47" subversion case and was due to be freed in January 2027, according to Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP).
Why it matters
The ruling replaces a release that was about two months away with a new 10-year term. It follows the 20-year sentence given to media owner Jimmy Lai, which the BBC describes as the harshest handed down under the NSL so far.
The sentence
Judge William Tam took a starting point of 13 years and reduced it for Wong's guilty plea and mitigation, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Under the law, collusion carries three to 10 years, or 10 years to life if the court finds the offence to be of a grave nature, HKFP reported. Wong's lawyer had argued the case did not reach that threshold.
"The punishment must fit the gravity of the crime committed," the judge wrote, according to AP. Tam said two months and two days of the term will run concurrently with the sentence Wong is already serving, the BBC reported.
The case
Prosecutors said Wong and exiled activist Nathan Law, with others, lobbied foreign governments for sanctions and other measures against Beijing and Hong Kong. The court heard that this took place from July to late November 2020, the BBC reported. Wong and Law co-founded the now-disbanded party Demosisto. Law lives in Britain.
In a statement written from prison, Wong said he believed he was acting within the law when he reposted social media messages and urged foreign companies to reconsider doing business with Hong Kong police, AP reported. He said he later saw that his judgment was wrong.
Reactions
Chief Executive John Lee said Wong and Law were "among the primary culprits responsible for undermining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability," in a statement quoted by the BBC. A police national security official also welcomed the sentence, according to AP.
AP reported that the United States condemned the sentence and called for Wong's immediate release, and that Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said the law is being used to target people for political expression. Human Rights Watch described the ruling as "cruel and unjust," the BBC reported.
Background
Wong co-founded the student group Scholarism at 14 and became one of the best-known faces of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, the BBC noted. He was among 47 people charged in February 2021 in what remains the largest NSL prosecution. Beijing introduced the law in 2020; critics say it has stifled dissent, while the authorities say it protects stability.
Image: AI-generated illustration of a Hong Kong court building. It is not a photograph of the hearing.
Sources
Source
BBC NewsSource
UPISource
Hong Kong Free Press
As the founding editor of Oppositioner, Alex Carter leads the platform’s investigative vision. With a background in political journalism and a relentless focus on exposing global power dynamics, Carter explores how authoritarian regimes manipulate narratives, weaponize technology, and undermine democratic structures. His work is grounded in uncovering state-sponsored disinformation and censorship.
Spotted an error? Contact the editor. OPPOSITIONER corrects errors promptly and notes every correction.
