Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong sentenced to 10 years in jail

Wong, in prison since 2020, was found guilty of colluding with foreign entities in violation of the city’s national security law.

The Hong Kong High Court found Wong guilty of colluding with foreign entities in violation of the city’s national security law on Thursday.

The sentence was handed down just two months before he was expected to be released in January 2027.

“The punishment must fit the gravity of ⁠the crime,” High Court Judge William Tam stated during his sentencing, emphasizing the community’s strong condemnation of the defendant’s scheme to collude with foreign forces or external elements aimed at endangering national security.

Wong, now 30, was accused of conspiring with self-exiled activist Nathan Law and others to seek sanctions or blockades from foreign governments and bodies, or to engage in hostile activities against the provincial government.

He had previously pleaded guilty in September. While the judge had initially considered a 13-year term as a starting point, he reduced it to 10 years in light of Wong’s confession and mitigating circumstances.

Wong, formerly the leading figure of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, has been incarcerated since 2020. His imprisonment followed his role in earlier protests prompted by plans for extradition to mainland China, which quickly escalated into a broader movement for democratic reforms.

He subsequently emerged as a prominent representative of the cause, regularly featured on news channels. His case drew strong international criticism.

Endless Political Persecution

Governments and human rights groups condemned the court’s decision. The United States consulate in Hong Kong expressed that it strongly condemns the additional sentence and calls for Wong’s immediate release.

“Wong has been unjustly imprisoned since December 2020, demonstrating that Beijing will employ extraordinary measures to silence advocates for fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong,” a consulate spokesperson declared to the AFP news agency.

After the sentencing, Taiwan also criticized the “endless political persecution” of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists.

Beijing and the Hong Kong government are accused by Taiwan of using “authoritarian tools” to “fabricate charges … engage in endless political persecution, and suppress the people’s legitimate rights to pursue freedom, democracy, and human rights.”

Human Rights Watch denounced the latest charge against Wong, calling the harsh sentence on “baseless charges” cruel and unjust. The organization underscored that young people championing social change are essential assets, yet are behind bars under the current legal regime.

Amnesty International echoed these sentiments, describing the sentence as “another grim reminder” that the National Security Law has become an instrument to punish dissent.

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