Joshua Wong receives 10-year prison term in Hong Kong
The 30-year-old activist was sentenced on Thursday for colluding with foreign forces, adding to an existing sentence he is already serving.
By Dominic Foster ·
Joshua Wong, a prominent figure in Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, began serving a new 10-year prison sentence on Thursday. A judge delivered the verdict for his second conviction under the national security law imposed by Beijing. This case is part of a wider effort by authorities to limit the influence of the city's once-active civic groups.
Wong was charged in 2025 with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. He pleaded guilty in September, a step that often leads to a reduced sentence. The 30-year-old is currently serving a four-year and eight-month term from a previous national security case linked to an unofficial primary election. He had expected to be released from that first sentence in January 2027.
Judge William Tam stated that the offense was grave and rejected the argument that Wong's role was limited. Tam noted he considered a 13-year sentence as a starting point but lowered it due to the guilty plea. The judge allowed Wong to serve both sentences concurrently. Since Wong has only about two months left on his previous term, the new sentence effectively extends his time in custody.
Wong appeared calm during the hearing and thanked his supporters before leaving the court. Tiffany Chin, a former member of Scholarism, which Wong once led, was in tears. Resident ET Wong, a supporter, said she believed Wong should not have spent a single day in wrongful imprisonment. She recalled that as a teenager, he possessed big-picture thinking that many adults lacked.
The prosecution argued that Wong and fellow activist Nathan Law agreed around 2016 to lobby internationally for democratic self-determination. They alleged the pair called for sanctions against Hong Kong and China before the security law was introduced. The case cited meetings Wong had with U.S. politicians Nancy Pelosi and Marco Rubio in 2016 and 2019. After the law was enacted, the prosecution said Wong used foreign media and social platforms to draw attention to the cause.
Eric Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said the national security law allows authorities to repeatedly use charges to keep specific political prisoners in jail. He noted that this sentencing shows a determination to chill civic activism. Beijing views Wong as an anti-China figure who supports Hong Kong independence, a position it considers a red line. Local authorities maintain the law is essential for stability following the 2019 protests.
Wong's lawyer, Derek Chan, asked the court to impose a sentence that gave his client hope. Chan noted that Wong wishes to care for his parents after his release. Friends said Wong spent his nearly six years in prison reading, exercising, and teaching himself guitar. His influence remains a concern for the pro-Beijing camp, with a recent Netflix documentary about him reaching the top of local charts despite criticism from state-aligned media.
Wong is expected to remain in custody for the duration of the new term. The sentence was handed down in a city where many civil society groups have dissolved and media outlets critical of the government have shut down. The legal team said Wong's maturity has grown during his time behind bars.
