Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for colluding with foreign forces under the city’s national security law.
The 30-year-old was sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty in September to charges linked to efforts to secure foreign sanctions and blockades against Beijing.
Wong had already spent nearly six years in prison for his role in pro-democracy protests and a separate subversion case. He had been due for release in January before the latest sentence was handed down.
The judge said two months and two days of the 10-year term would run concurrently with his existing sentence.
Wong was among hundreds of activists and ordinary residents arrested under the national security law, which Beijing introduced in 2020 after mass protests against its growing influence over Hong Kong.
The law criminalised acts authorities classified as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Critics said it had been used to silence dissent, while Hong Kong officials maintained that it was necessary to protect national security and stability.
Wong arrived at court on Thursday wearing a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, khaki trousers and black-rimmed glasses. He appeared slimmer than in previous public appearances.
He nodded towards people in the packed public gallery and occasionally took notes as the judge read out the reasons forhis sentence.
Dozens of people had queued for hours outside the court in the hope of securing seats, while police maintained a heavy presence.
Prosecutors said Wong conspired with other activists, including exiled campaigner Nathan Law, to lobby foreign governments for sanctions and blockades against Beijing.
The alleged activities took place between July and late November 2020, the court heard.
Wong and Law were co-founders of Demosisto, a pro-democracy political party that disbanded in 2020 after Beijing introduced the national security law.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee described Wong and Law as “among the primary culprits responsible for undermining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability”.
Their actions had “not only severely undermined national sovereignty, security, and development interests, but also directly prejudiced the well-being of the general public and the stability of society,” Lee said in a statement after theruling.
Wong’s friend and fellow activist Frances Hui, who is now based in the United States, said she was “heartbroken” and“outraged” by the sentence.
“Today’s sentencing is not just about Joshua. It is part of a broader political crackdown that seeks to rewrite a chapter ofHong Kong’s history and erase the contributions of an entire generation who believed they could shape the future of theircity.”
Human Rights Watch described the ruling as “cruel and unjust.”
The organisation’s Asia director, Elaine Pearson, said the Hong Kong government appeared to be using multiple charges against prominent pro-democracy figures to keep society subdued and limit international criticism.
Wong’s sentence was not the longest imposed under the national security law. Former media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison for colluding with foreign forces.
Wong was born in October 1996 to Roger, an IT professional, and Grace, a homemaker. He was diagnosed with dyslexiaas a child and struggled with school.
His activism began during his teenage years. While in secondary school, he organised protests with classmates against high canteen prices, using Facebook to mobilise support.
In 2011, aged 14, he co-founded Scholarism, a pro-democracy student group that quickly gained influence.
The following year, the group mobilised more than 100,000 people to protest against plans to introduce mandatory patriotic education in Hong Kong schools. The campaign forced the authorities to withdraw the proposal.
By 2014, Wong had become one of the most recognisable faces of the pro-democracy movement through his involvement in the civil disobedience campaign known as the Umbrella Movement.
In 2016, he co-founded Demosisto with Law and fellow activist Agnes Chow, who is also now in exile.
Wong often resisted being described as a protest leader.
“We have a lot of facilitators in this movement and I’m one of them Instead of having a top-down command, we now have a bottom-up command hub,” he told the Financial Times in November 2019.
Demosisto disbanded in 2020, after Beijing introduced the national security law.
Law left Hong Kong for the United Kingdom and continued his activism abroad. Wong remained in the city and attempted to contest a legislative seat, but authorities barred him, citing his opposition to the national security law among their reasons.
His legal troubles continued.
On 23 November 2020, Wong pleaded guilty to charges linked to his involvement in protests outside Hong Kong police headquarters in 2019.
In February 2021, while still in prison, he was among 47 activists charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. Thecase became known as the Hong Kong 47 prosecution and was the largest case brought under the national security law.
Wong was serving a 56-month sentence for the subversion conviction when he was charged with collusion under thenational security law.
A day before pleading guilty to the protest-related charges, Wong had posted a message on Instagram addressed to thepeople of Hong Kong.
“To be honest, I have never had much faith in Hong Kong’s politics, but I have every confidence in the people of HongKong.
Even as political power now poses a comprehensive challenge to the resilience of our civil society, I believe the peopleof Hong Kong will, as always, find a way to see things through.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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