Joshua Wong, a central figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday for colluding with foreign forces. The ruling comes under the city’s national security law, which Beijing imposed in 2020 to curb dissent and assert control over the former British colony.
Wong, who recently turned 30, appeared in court wearing a dark blue long-sleeved shirt and khaki trousers. He looked thinner than in previous public appearances and nodded to supporters in the packed gallery as the judge read the sentencing reasons. A heavy police presence surrounded the court, while dozens of citizens had queued for hours to secure a seat in the public area.
Extended Prison Term for Hong Kong Activist
The 10-year sentence significantly extends Wong’s time behind bars. He is already serving a five-year and eight-month term for subversion related to his role in the 2019 protests. The judge ruled that two months and two days of the new sentence would run concurrently with his current imprisonment. This means Wong will remain incarcerated well beyond his original release date in January 2027.
Prosecutors alleged that Wong conspired with other activists, including self-exiled former legislator Nathan Law, to lobby for foreign sanctions and blockades against Beijing. These activities reportedly took place between July and late November 2020. Wong pleaded guilty to the collusion charges earlier in September.
John Lee, Hong Kong’s chief executive, described Wong and Law as primary culprits responsible for undermining the region’s stability. In a statement following the ruling, Lee said their actions prejudiced public well-being and national security. Beijing’s foreign ministry expressed firm support for Hong Kong’s legal proceedings, urging relevant parties to respect China’s sovereignty.
Crackdown on Pro-Democracy Leaders
Human Rights Watch criticized the verdict as cruel and unjust. Elaine Pearson, the organization’s Asia director, suggested that the Hong Kong government is stacking charges against influential leaders to keep society subdued and avoid international outcry. This sentence represents one of the harshest penalties under the controversial national security law, though former media tycoon Jimmy Lai received a 20-year term for similar charges.
Wong’s friend and fellow activist Frances Hui, now living in the United States, expressed outrage at the decision. She stated that the sentencing is part of a broader political crackdown aimed at erasing the contributions of a generation that sought to shape Hong Kong’s future.
Wong first rose to prominence as a teenager. In 2011, at age 14, he co-founded Scholarism, a student activist group. The following year, the group mobilized over 100,000 people to protest mandatory patriotic education in schools, forcing authorities to retreat. By 2014, he had become a recognizable face of the Umbrella Movement, a civil disobedience campaign demanding universal suffrage.
In 2016, Wong co-founded the pro-democracy party Demosisto alongside Nathan Law and Agnes Chow. The party disbanded in 2020 as the national security law took effect. Law and Chow left Hong Kong, while Wong stayed and attempted to run for a legislative seat. His candidacy was barred, with authorities citing his opposition to the security law as a key reason.
Despite his legal troubles, Wong has maintained a focus on grassroots resilience. In a 2020 social media post, he wrote that he had confidence in the people of Hong Kong to see through challenges to their civil society. The latest ruling ensures that his activism will continue from behind bars for the foreseeable future.
Source: BBC
