Joshua Wong Sentenced to Extra 10 Years for Foreign Collusion
The 30-year-old Hong Kong activist will now serve a combined sentence that extends his detention well into his 40s.
By Rafael Delgado ·
Hong Kong court officials handed out a ten-year prison sentence on Thursday to Joshua Wong, the prominent democracy activist. The judge imposed the term for the specific charge of colluding with foreign powers. This ruling adds to the time Wong has already served, extending his incarceration by a full decade.
Wong, who turned 30 last month, pleaded guilty in September. He admitted to seeking international sanctions against both Hong Kong and mainland China. The charge falls under the national security law enacted by Beijing. The court summary confirmed the final sentence as ten years of imprisonment.
The activist has spent nearly six years in custody. Prior to this new conviction, he was scheduled for release in January. He was serving a four-year and eight-month sentence for subversion under the same legislation. However, authorities filed the new charges in June 2025, halting his expected freedom.
The new prosecution alleged that Wong encouraged other nations to impose financial penalties on the city and the mainland. He appeared in court wearing a blue shirt and black glasses. He nodded to supporters and waved as he exited the courtroom. The crowd outside expressed determination to wait for his eventual release.
Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London, told AFP that Beijing views Wong as a key leader from the 2019 protests. Tsang stated that authorities intend to make an example of him. This move demonstrates strict control over the territory, preventing a return to the pre-2019 political atmosphere.
Wong rose to fame during the 2014 Umbrella Movement. He has faced multiple prosecutions since 2017. His legal team had argued for a shorter sentence, ranging from three to ten years, factoring in time already served. Human rights groups criticized the collusion charge as a strategy to keep him detained.
Authorities said Wong began lobbying internationally as early as 2016. He promoted the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which allows the US President to impose sanctions for human rights violations. The bill passed into law after Wong joined a delegation to Washington in 2019. He was part of the largest national security trial in Hong Kong history, with co-defendants jailed in 2024. Wong is the only member of that group charged twice under the security law. Louis Lee, a friend, said Wong often sighed during visits, showing worry about the trial outcome. Margaret Chan, a 61-year-old supporter, called the situation heartbreaking, noting Wong will be middle-aged upon release.
