Joshua Wong Sentenced: 10-Year Term for Security Law Breach
The 30-year-old activist pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, a conviction that extends his time behind bars.
By Fatima Saleh ·
Joshua Wong faces a decade behind bars following a Thursday sentencing in Hong Kong for his second conviction under the national security law. The court imposed the 10-year term for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. Wong, 30, entered a guilty plea to the charge in September.
Wong is already serving a four-year, eight-month prison term for an earlier conviction related to an unofficial primary. He had previously been scheduled for release in January 2027. Judge William Tam stated during the hearing that Wong's offense was of a grave nature. The judge rejected the argument that Wong's role in the conspiracy was limited.
Tam indicated he considered a 13-year sentence as a baseline but reduced the term because of Wong's plea. The judge ordered that Wong serve both prison sentences concurrently. This decision means Wong has approximately two months remaining on his previous sentence before the new term effectively begins its count.
The prosecution alleged that Wong and fellow activist Nathan Law agreed in or around 2016 to lobby internationally for democratic self-determination. They claimed the pair called for sanctions and other adverse measures against Hong Kong and China. The case pointed to meetings Wong held with U.S. politicians Nancy Pelosi and Marco Rubio in 2016 and 2019.
Prosecutors argued that after the security law was enacted, Wong supported efforts from within Hong Kong through foreign media and social media. They stated his actions aimed to draw international attention and bolster requests for sanctions or blockades against China. Wong's lawyer, Derek Chan, urged the court to impose a sentence that would offer his client hope. Chan noted that Wong wishes to care for his parents after release.
Critics of the ruling view the sentencing as evidence of a sustained crackdown on the city's pro-democracy movement. Eric Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said national security law charges can be repeatedly used to keep specific political prisoners in jail if the government deems it necessary. He described the action as a tool to chill civic activism.
Beijing views Wong as an anti-China figure who supports Hong Kong independence, a position that crosses a key red line for the mainland. Hong Kong authorities maintain that the security law is essential for stability following the 2019 protests. They assert that law enforcement actions are based on evidence.
Wong appeared calm as he left the court and thanked his supporters. Tiffany Chin, a former member of the disbanded group Scholarism, was in tears. A pro-Beijing newspaper recently criticized a 2017 Netflix documentary about Wong for beautifying his crimes. The city's security bureau told local media the government was taking follow-up action. The documentary subsequently rose to the top of Netflix's popular chart in Hong Kong.
