Hong Kong Court Sentences Joshua Wong to 10 Years for Foreign Collusion

Joshua Wong, the prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist, will spend the next decade in prison for his role in a national security case. On Thursday, a high court judge handed down a 10-year sentence after Wong pleaded guilty to foreign collusion. This is his second conviction under the city's national security law, a statute critics argue is frequently used to suppress political opposition.

The conviction centers on Wong's alleged coordination with Nathan Law, an exiled Hong Kong activist. Prosecutors accused the pair of urging foreign governments to impose sanctions, blockades, or other hostile measures against China. Judge William Tam ruled that Wong's actions were grave in nature, describing them as part of a scheme to collude with foreign governments. According to the judge, Wong visited the United States to seek foreign interference before the national security law took effect in 2020. He also continued to share social media posts by Law calling for sanctions after the law was enacted. The judge stated that Wong's role was to supply underground support and arouse the attention of foreign countries to bolster the democratic cause.

Wong, who is 30 years old, already faces a prison term of four years and eight months. That previous sentence was imposed in November 2024 for conspiracy to commit subversion related to his role in an unofficial primary election. He has been in detention for nearly six years and was originally scheduled for release in January 2027. Judge Tam determined that the new 10-year sentence will run concurrently with the remaining time on his previous term.

Wong rose to international prominence as a teenager during the 2014 Umbrella protests, which paralyzed the city's financial center. He appeared on the cover of Time magazine that year under the headline The Face of Protest. When mass protests erupted in 2019 over a proposed extradition bill, Wong was serving a sentence for his 2014 activities. He was released at the height of those demonstrations and returned to the streets immediately. The following year, Beijing introduced a sweeping national security law to restore stability, a move that critics say has targeted political opposition, dissolved civil society groups, and silenced independent media.

Following the ruling, Nathan Law issued a statement describing the sentencing as incredibly sad. He said the decision signals that China is determined to quash hopes for freedom and democracy. Sarah Brooks, deputy regional director for Amnesty International, called the sentence a grim reminder that the national security law functions as a tool to punish dissent. In court, Wong wore a dark blue shirt and thick-rimmed spectacles. He nodded and bowed to supporters who waved from the gallery. Dozens of people waited in line outside the building amid a heavy police presence, while a group of international diplomats observed the proceedings. Wong is the only activist in Hong Kong to have been prosecuted twice under the national security law.

The sentencing concluded on Thursday. The court confirmed that Wong's new term begins immediately and runs parallel to his existing sentence.