Joshua Wong, one of the best-known leaders of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for working with foreign groups under the city’s national security law.
The law was introduced by Beijing in 2020 following large pro-democracy protests. Critics say it has been used to silence opposition, while Chinese and Hong Kong authorities say it is needed to protect national security and maintain stability.
Wong, who recently turned 30, has already spent six years in prison for his role in the democracy movement. He was expected to be released in January but will now serve an additional 10-year sentence.
Prosecutors said Wong worked with other activists, including Nathan Law, to push foreign governments to impose sanctions and other restrictions on China. The activities took place between July and November 2020.
Wong pleaded guilty to the latest charges in September. Part of his new sentence will overlap with the prison term he is already serving.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said Wong and Law were responsible for harming the city’s stability and development. China’s government also defended the ruling, saying Hong Kong has the right to protect national security.
However, human rights groups and fellow activists criticized the sentence. Human Rights Watch called it cruel and unjust, saying authorities are using legal charges to target well-known pro-democracy leaders.
Who Is Joshua Wong?
Wong became involved in activism as a teenager. In 2011, at age 14, he helped start Scholarism, a student group that fought against plans to introduce mandatory patriotic education in Hong Kong schools.
The group helped organize major protests in 2012, attracting more than 100,000 people and forcing the government to drop the plan.
In 2014, Wong became one of the leading faces of the Umbrella Movement, a series of protests calling for greater democracy in Hong Kong.
He later helped establish the political group Demosisto with Nathan Law and Agnes Chow in 2016.
After China introduced the national security law in 2020, Demosisto shut down. Wong continued his activism but was later arrested and faced several charges.
In 2021, he was among 47 democracy activists charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. He was later sentenced to 56 months in prison.
His latest 10-year sentence adds to years of legal trouble linked to his efforts to push for greater democracy in Hong Kong.
