Joshua Wong gets 10-year prison term

Joshua Wong, the Hong Kong activist who rose to prominence as a teenager, received a second prison sentence on Thursday. The 30-year-old pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Beijing-imposed national security law.

This conviction follows a previous sentence handed down in 2024. In that case, Wong was found guilty in a separate national security matter related to his role in an unofficial primary election in 2020. He received a term of four years and eight months for that offense. The new sentence extends his time behind bars significantly.

Before his current detention for the collusion charge, which began in June 2025, Wong was expected to be released in January of next year. His legal team and associates noted that the new term alters his timeline considerably. The authorities view Wong as a key figure in the pro-democracy movement that has been largely suppressed since the implementation of the security law.

Wong first gained public attention in 2012 at age 15. He was a member of Scholarism, a group that protested government plans to introduce national education in schools. Thousands of supporters gathered outside government headquarters, and some staged hunger strikes. The Hong Kong government eventually shelved its plans for the curriculum change.

Louis Lee, a former member of Scholarism, described Wong as a demanding leader. Lee recalled sleeping on the streets during the 2012 protests. He noted that Wong kept a close eye on the group's work. Lee said members often joked that Wong was a merciless boss because he called them frequently. Lee still remembers Wong's phone number from that period.

Wong became a central figure in the 2014 Umbrella Movement. Protesters occupied major thoroughfares for 79 days in a push for direct elections for the city leader. The movement ended without achieving its primary goal. Scholar Chan Kin-man, a leader in the 2014 protests, said Wong's speeches stirred crowds. Chan noted that Wong sometimes acted on his beliefs without informing other leaders in advance.

In 2016, Wong co-founded the political party Demosisto. The party advocated for self-determination and a referendum on Hong Kong's political future. Beijing later stated that self-determination equated to Hong Kong independence. Demosisto disbanded when the national security law took effect. During the 2019 anti-government protests, Wong worked to seek overseas support rather than leading street demonstrations.

Wong urged U.S. politicians to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. Beijing criticized his efforts as begging for interference. He also called for U.S. sanctions against China as the national security law approached. Critics of the imprisonment say it reflects the government's determination to keep prominent dissidents in custody.

While in prison, Wong has maintained a routine of study and self-improvement. Lee visits him regularly and exchanges letters with him. Wong has been reading books, taking university courses, and teaching himself guitar. Chan said Wong asked him to send a collection of letters written by Czech dissident Václav Havel from prison. Wong reflected on becoming a better son and a more mature politician.

Lee said Wong told him in 2021 that the most important thing is to not forget why he first stepped forward. Lee added that Wong believes the lessons learned in their organization will continue to be useful. Wong wrote to his future self in a book about Scholarism when he was 16. He stated then that he believed in living meaningfully by participating in social movements.