Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to 10 years in prison on 5 November for conspiring to collude with foreign forces under the territory’s national security law. According to the BBC and The Guardian, Wong pleaded guilty in September. He was already serving a prison sentence.
Prosecutors accused Wong of working with other activists, including Nathan Law, to persuade foreign countries to impose sanctions and blockades against China. Those allegations formed the basis of the case that concluded with Thursday’s sentence.
The new sentence partly overlaps with his existing prison term. Wong was serving four years and eight months for conspiracy to commit subversion in connection with organising unofficial primary elections. The Guardian reports that this sentence was imposed in November 2024. According to the BBC, two months and two days of the new sentence will run concurrently with the earlier term. The ruling therefore does not mean exactly 10 additional years in prison counted from the day it was handed down.
Dispute over the national security law
The latest sentence was imposed under the national security law introduced in Hong Kong in 2020. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities describe the legislation as a means of protecting security and stability, while critics say it is used to suppress opposition. That dispute remains central to the wider context of prosecutions against pro-democracy activists.
Human Rights Watch, whose response was reported by the BBC, and Amnesty International, cited by The Guardian, condemned the sentence. According to The Guardian, the US consulate in Hong Kong also criticised the additional prison term and called for Wong’s release. China’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, called for respect for Chinese sovereignty and Hong Kong’s legal system.
