Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong receives 10-year prison sentence

Joshua Wong, a leading figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, will spend another decade behind bars. A court in Hong Kong sentenced the 30-year-old activist to 10 years in prison on Wednesday. The new term comes under a national security law imposed by Beijing. Critics view the ruling as the latest step in a tight grip on the city’s civic groups.

Wong pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. The charge stems from events in 2025. He is already serving a separate prison term of more than four years. That first sentence relates to the city’s largest national security case involving an unofficial primary election. Before this latest prosecution, Wong was expected to be released in January 2027.

Judge William Tam determined that Wong’s actions were serious. The judge called Wong a mastermind of the conspiracy. Tam noted that Wong and fellow activist Nathan Law worked together to contact senior officials in foreign governments. They sought to encourage those foreign entities to take hostile action against China and Hong Kong. The judge pointed to specific actions by the United States as evidence. These included the revocation of Hong Kong’s special status and sanctions against local and Chinese officials.

The judge stated that the punishment had to match the gravity of the crime. Tam said the sentence would also express the community’s disapproval of the defendant’s scheme. The ruling aims to deter others from similar actions. The judge initially considered a 13-year term. He reduced the time because Wong entered a guilty plea and offered other forms of mitigation. The remaining two months of Wong’s first sentence will be served at the same time as the new 10-year term.

Wong appeared calm as he left the courtroom. He thanked his supporters who waved to him. Among them was Tiffany Chin, a former member of Scholarism, the group Wong once led. Chin was in tears during the moment. In a statement written from prison, Wong said his political work was not driven by hatred. He said he bears no resentment toward the Chinese or Hong Kong governments. He also clarified that he never advocated for Hong Kong independence.

Wong wrote that he believed he was acting within the law at the time. He said he later realized his judgment was incorrect. During his nearly six years in custody, he enrolled in university courses and read hundreds of books. He described his goal as becoming a more responsible and compassionate person. He hopes to view this period as a trial that strengthened his character.

Louis Lee, a friend of Wong and a former Scholarism member, spoke to reporters after the hearing. Lee said the group needs time to process the decision. He thanked everyone for their concern and support. The sentencing follows a period where Hong Kong’s civil society shrank significantly. Since the 2019 antigovernment movement, authorities have reduced public choices in elections and arrested many leaders. Dozens of civil society groups have dissolved, and several news outlets known for critical reporting have closed.

Eric Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Centre for Asian Law, commented on the outcome. He said national security charges can be used repeatedly to keep specific political prisoners in jail. Beijing views Wong as an anti-China figure. Hong Kong authorities maintain that the security law is essential for stability after the 2019 protests. They state that their law enforcement actions are based on evidence.