HONG KONG — Prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been sentenced to another 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to collude with foreign forces under Hong Kong’s national security law.
The 30-year-old activist received the sentence on Thursday, November 5, 2026, from the Hong Kong High Court. The ruling means Wong could remain behind bars until late 2036, extending his imprisonment despite having been expected to regain his freedom in January 2027.
National Security Charges Behind Sentence
Wong was accused of working with exiled activist Nathan Law and others to encourage foreign governments and organizations to impose sanctions, blockades and other measures against China and Hong Kong authorities.
Prosecutors said the activities involved international lobbying, political outreach and media campaigns aimed at attracting foreign pressure over developments in Hong Kong.
Wong pleaded guilty to the charge in September. During court proceedings, however, he maintained that he had never advocated Hong Kong independence, promoted regime change in China or received foreign funding to hire political consultants.
High Court Judge William Tam described the offence as serious and said the punishment reflected the gravity of the conduct. The court initially considered a 13-year sentence before reducing it by three years to account for Wong’s guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
Already Serving Previous Prison Term
Wong has been detained since November 2020 and is already serving a four-year-and-eight-month sentence for conspiracy to commit subversion linked to an unofficial democratic primary election held that year.
He first became widely known in 2012, when he was 15, for leading student protests against a proposed national education curriculum. He later emerged as one of the prominent faces of Hong Kong’s 2014 Umbrella Movement, which called for greater democratic representation.
He also co-founded the pro-democracy political group Demosisto, which disbanded in June 2020 when Beijing’s national security law took effect.
International Criticism Over National Security Law
The latest sentence has attracted criticism from international human rights organizations. Human Rights Watch described the charges as baseless and called for Wong’s immediate release, arguing that the law has been used to restrict peaceful political expression.
Hong Kong and Chinese authorities maintain that the national security legislation is necessary to protect national security and maintain stability.
Wong’s case has become another major focus of international attention surrounding the treatment of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and the continuing effects of Beijing’s national security framework.
Swifteradio.com
