Joshua Wong Sentenced to 10 More Years in Hong Kong

Joshua Wong became internationally known during Hong Kong's 2014 protests, the Umbrella Movement. He has been in and out of jail since 2017, according to Euronews, and has been imprisoned since 2020, Al Jazeera reported.

That year, Beijing imposed the national security law now used to prosecute him. NDTV Top Stories described Wong as part of a generation of young protesters whose efforts have effectively been outlawed by the sweeping legislation.

On November 4, NDTV Top Stories reported that Wong was awaiting sentencing in a security case. The prosecution concerned foreign collusion, a separate case from his earlier national security conviction.

On November 5, a Hong Kong court sentenced him to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to foreign collusion charges, according to Bloomberg. CBC News identified it as his second conviction under the Beijing-imposed law.

The case focused on Wong's role in a global campaign seeking sanctions against mainland China and Hong Kong, South China Morning Post reported. Il Post described the offense as conspiring to persuade foreign countries to impose those sanctions.

The sentence brought immediate criticism. Amnesty International News called it cruel and a reminder of the city's disdain for human rights. ANSA reported that the US consulate condemned the sentence, while Beijing called for respect for Chinese sovereignty.

By November 6, Canada had joined nine other countries in a joint statement condemning the sentence and calling on China to end unjust prosecutions, according to CBC Top Stories.

Wong, 30, now faces an expected release in 2036, according to Financial Times World. Before the latest prosecution, he had been expected to leave prison in January 2027, Le Monde reported.

The earlier sentence should not be confused with this new 10-year term. The Hindu reported that Wong was already serving four years and eight months for the city's biggest national security case, not a previous 10-year sentence.

His imprisonment is part of a much broader use of the security law. BBC News reported that Wong is among hundreds of Hongkongers detained under it. Critics say his second conviction reflects the crackdown on the city's once-thriving democracy movement, according to NPR.