Joshua Wong sentenced to ten years in Hong Kong
The pro-democracy activist was convicted in a second case under the national security law.
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Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to ten years in prison on Thursday. He received the sentence for colluding with foreign powers under the national security law that China imposed on Hong Kong in 2020.
Wong pleaded guilty to the charge in September. Prosecutors said he worked with activist Nathan Law, who fled abroad, and others to encourage foreign governments and politicians to impose sanctions, blockades and other measures against Hong Kong and China. Prosecutors said the alleged collusion took place between 1 July and 23 November 2020.
The court classified the case as serious enough for the most severe sentencing category. For such cases, the security law sets a prison sentence of at least ten years and possibly life imprisonment. Wong was already in detention and was serving an earlier sentence of four years and eight months for conspiracy to subvert state power.
As a result of the new conviction, he is expected to remain in prison beyond the date on which he was due to be released according to earlier reports. It remains unclear how the new sentence will run alongside his earlier sentence and what this means precisely for his release.
Prosecutors pointed, among other things, to lobbying by Wong and Law among foreign politicians and to their support for the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act in the United States. Prosecutors said they sought in this way to increase international pressure on the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities.
Wong's lawyer asked for a sentence that would give him a prospect of release. He said Wong wanted to care for his parents after his release. Wong became known worldwide as one of the faces of Hong Kong's protest movement and co-founded the Demosistō party with other young activists in 2016.
Critics see the verdict as evidence that the national security law is being used to eliminate political opposition over the long term. Hong Kong authorities, by contrast, say the law is necessary for stability and that prosecutions are based on evidence, regardless of a person's political convictions.
In a recent report, the British government described the continuing prosecutions under the security law as a serious restriction of political and civic space. The report also stated that Wong was charged again in June 2025 while serving his earlier sentence. The case against Wong is therefore part of a broader series of trials against activists since the 2019 protests.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Joshua Wong was sentenced to ten years in prison on 5 November 2026.
- The conviction concerns collusion with foreign powers under the national security law.
- Wong pleaded guilty and was already serving an earlier sentence.
- Hong Kong authorities defend the security law as necessary for stability.
- Critics say the law suppresses political opposition.
Left
Arguments This perspective sees Wong's prosecution as showing that national security is being used to criminalise democratic opposition and international criticism.
Values Human rights, political freedom, legal protection and space for civil-society organisations.
Consequences A long prison sentence may deter other activists and further weaken the remaining opposition in Hong Kong.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach emphasises that a judge assessed the case under the law in force, while the broad security law and its consequences for fundamental rights must be critically scrutinised.
Values The rule of law, predictable procedures, public safety and the balance between security and freedom.
Consequences The ruling may provide legal clarity, but it also increases international pressure on Hong Kong and China.
Right
Arguments This perspective holds that foreign lobbying for sanctions and blockades can constitute a legitimate security issue and that a government may protect its constitutional order.
Values National sovereignty, public order, protection against foreign interference and governmental stability.
Consequences A tough sentence may, from this perspective, deter further foreign influence, but prolonged prosecutions may also damage confidence in the legal system.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article's core, the ten-year sentence and the charge are confirmed by the Associated Press. Reuters and the British government report confirm the procedural background and the earlier conviction; interpretations are attributed as viewpoints.
- confirmed Joshua Wong was sentenced to ten years in prison on 5 November 2026. — The Associated Press reports the conviction and the ten-year sentence. source
- confirmed Wong pleaded guilty to colluding with foreign powers. — AP and Reuters report his guilty plea and the charge. source
- confirmed Wong was already serving a sentence of four years and eight months. — AP mentions the earlier sentence for conspiracy to subvert state power. source
- confirmed The British government describes continuing prosecutions under the security law. — This is stated in the half-yearly report on Hong Kong. source
Editor's note
The ten-year sentence and the main facts of the proceedings have been confirmed by AP and are consistent with Reuters. The precise relationship between Wong's new and earlier sentences has not been fully set out publicly.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „hongkong china”
- De Telegraaf — „hongkong china”
- AD — „hongkong china”