Joshua Wong Sentenced to 10 Years for National Security Offense

Joshua Wong, a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a national security case involving foreign collusion. The ruling was delivered by Judge William Tam in a high court proceeding.

Wong pleaded guilty to the charges in September, which included accusations of working with Nathan Law to urge foreign powers to impose sanctions or other hostile measures against China. The charges are part of a broader national security law that critics argue has been used to suppress political opposition.

Judge Tam described Wong’s actions as 'grave in nature,' noting that he had visited the United States to seek foreign interference ahead of the national security law’s introduction in 2020. He also shared social media posts by Law calling for sanctions after the law was enacted.

The judge stated that Wong’s role was to 'supply his underground support' and 'arouse the attention of foreign countries to bolster the cause,' calling his actions part of a 'scheme' to collude with foreign governments. His sentence will be served concurrently with his existing prison term for a previous national security offense.

Wong is currently serving a four-year and eight-month prison term, which was imposed in November 2024 for conspiracy to commit subversion related to an unofficial primary election. He has spent nearly six years in detention and was due to be released in January 2027.

Wong, 30, gained international attention during the 2014 Umbrella protests, which paralyzed Hong Kong’s financial center. He was released from prison in 2019 during the protests over a proposed extradition bill and immediately returned to the streets. The national security law, introduced by Beijing in 2020, has been widely criticized for targeting political dissent.