Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Figure: Joshua Wong Sentenced to 10 Years
The 30-year-old activist received a second prison term under the national security law after pleading guilty to conspiring with foreign forces.
By Riya Zhao ·
Joshua Wong stood outside the Hong Kong government headquarters in 2012. He was 15 years old and leading a protest against national education in schools. Thousands of supporters gathered nearby, some joining hunger strikes. The government eventually shelved its plans. That victory marked the start of a political career that now ends behind bars.
Wong is 30 years old. On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. He received a 10-year prison sentence. This is his second conviction under the Beijing-imposed national security law. Critics argue the authorities use the law to keep prominent dissidents detained. Beijing labels Wong an anti-China figure who supports independence.
Louis Lee, a former member of Wong's group Scholarism, recalled sleeping on streets during the 2012 protests. Lee feared the demonstrations would end like the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Lee described Wong as a demanding leader who monitored the group's work closely. Wong called Lee frequently. Lee said members joked that Wong was a merciless boss.
In 2014, Wong became a central figure in the Umbrella Movement. Protesters used umbrellas to block pepper spray. They occupied major thoroughfares for 79 days. They sought direct election for the city's leader. Scholar Chan Kin-man, a leader of that movement, said Wong's speeches stirred crowds with unusual political energy for his age. Chan noted that Wong sometimes acted without informing others. He once entered a fenced-off forecourt before the planned protest start, swelling the turnout beyond expectations.
Wong co-founded the political party Demosisto in 2016. The group advocated for self-determination and a referendum on the city's political future. A Chinese official later stated that self-determination equates to Hong Kong independence. During the 2019 anti-government protests, Wong worked to secure overseas support. He urged U.S. politicians to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. Beijing criticized him for begging for interference. Demosisto disbanded when the national security law took effect.
In 2024, Wong was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison for a separate national security case. That charge related to his role in an unofficial primary in 2020. He was expected to be freed in January of next year. His arrest for the new collusion offense in June 2025 extended his time behind bars. He has been jailed repeatedly for his activism.
Wong maintains regular contact with former colleagues. Lee visits him in prison and exchanges letters. Wong reads books, takes university courses, and teaches himself guitar. He sent Lee a collection of letters written by Czech dissident Václav Havel. In a letter, Wong reflected on becoming a better person and a better son. Chan said Wong is a reflective and increasingly mature politician.
Lee quoted Wong's 2021 message. Wong said the most important thing is not to forget why he first stepped forward. Wong added that lessons from the organization would continue to help them grow. In a book about Scholarism, 16-year-old Wong wrote to his future self. He believed that participating in social movements allowed him to live meaningfully for Hong Kong.
