Hong Kong pro-democracy figure Joshua Wong admitted guilt on Wednesday to a charge of collaborating with foreign forces to jeopardize national security under a law imposed by Beijing. This law effectively suppressed the city’s once-thriving pro-democracy movement.
It marked Wong’s second prosecution under the national security law introduced in Hong Kong in 2020 to quell massive anti-government protests in the previous year. Wong, a former student leader in the pro-democracy movement, donned a blue shirt and looked visibly thinner as he made his plea.
Prior to the court session, a supporter encouraged Wong by shouting “hang in there.” Wong’s friend, Louis Lee, revealed that Wong engaged in reading, studying, playing the guitar, and exercising while in prison, exploring new interests behind bars. Lee expressed his hope for Wong’s early release and stated his belief that both of them, along with their friends, would continue their efforts diligently in their respective fields.
Current Sentence Expected to End in January
Wong awaits sentencing, with the offense carrying a prison term of three to 10 years, or potentially life imprisonment for grave cases. Generally, pleading guilty can lead to a reduced sentence. He was already serving a four-year and eight-month term after pleading guilty in another national security case related to an unofficial political primary.
Prior to his arrest in June 2025 for the conspiracy charge, Wong was set to be released in January.
Critics view Wong’s case as a demonstration of authorities’ efforts to silence prominent dissenters, thereby stifling civic activism. However, Beijing considers Wong an anti-China advocate who supports Hong Kong independence, a stance deemed unacceptable by the authorities.
Rose to Prominence as Student Activist
Wong, aged 29, faced allegations of conspiring with activist Nathan Law and others to solicit foreign entities to impose sanctions or engage in hostile actions against Hong Kong or China from July 1 to November 23, 2020.
In 2012, Wong gained recognition as a high school student leading protests against national education implementation in Hong Kong schools. He further rose to prominence as a student leader during the 2014 Occupy Movement. Wong co-established the political party “Demosisto” in 2016 with fellow young activists, including Law, who became the city’s youngest lawmaker that same year.
Throughout the leaderless 2019 protests, Wong actively sought international support for the democracy movement, including from the U.S. Beijing criticized his actions, accusing him of seeking foreign intervention. Demosisto disbanded following the imposition of the security law in 2020, a measure deemed essential by authorities for the city’s stability.
Several other prominent activists were incarcerated under the same law, such as former media mogul Jimmy Lai. Some activists sought refuge in democratic nations like the U.S. and the U.K. Hong Kong authorities also offered rewards for information leading to the arrest of Law, now residing in Britain, and other activists based overseas.
