Joshua Wong pleads guilty under Hong Kong’s national security law
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security under a Beijing-imposed law that has effectively stifled the Chinese territory’s once-thriving pro-democracy movement, reports BritPanorama.
This marks Wong’s second prosecution under the national security law, which was introduced in Hong Kong in 2020 aimed at quelling massive anti-government protests that erupted the previous year. Wong, a prominent figure in the movement, appeared visibly thinner as he entered his plea.
Wong is currently awaiting sentencing, which could range from a prison term of three to ten years to life imprisonment if deemed “of a grave nature.” His guilty plea could potentially lead to a reduced sentence.
He is already serving a four-year-and-eight-month prison sentence from an earlier guilty plea in a separate national security case related to an unofficial political primary. Before his arrest in June 2025, Wong had been expected to be released in January.
Critics argue that Wong’s situation exemplifies the government’s relentless pursuit to silence dissent, effectively chilling civic activism in the region. To the Chinese authorities, Wong is perceived as an anti-China operative supporting Hong Kong independence, a position regarded as intolerable.
The prosecution accused Wong of conspiring with fellow activist Nathan Law, among others, to solicit foreign intervention against China from July to November 2020. Prosecutors observed that Wong had shared an online petition from Law urging international digital forensic firms to cease cooperation with local law enforcement after the enactment of the national security law.
Additionally, Wong was alleged to have been involved in an international lobbying effort aimed at promoting democratic self-determination for Hong Kong. The prosecution detailed that he and Law had previously attracted foreign sanctions or blockades against Hong Kong and China.
Wong has faced continued scrutiny as he supported Law’s efforts abroad, engaging with foreign media and using social platforms to call attention to their cause and advocate for sanctions against China. In one report, he claimed to have aided in halting a forensic software supply to police, highlighting his opposition to collaboration with the Chinese government.
Before the court proceedings began, a supporter shouted words of encouragement to Wong. Friends noted that during his imprisonment, he has taken up new hobbies such as reading and learning the guitar, while expressing hope for his prompt release.
Wong first gained notoriety in 2012 as a high school student leading protests against national education in schools and became a recognizable face during the 2014 Occupy Movement. In 2016, he co-founded the political party Demosisto, which aimed to challenge the status quo in Hong Kong.
During the leaderless protests in 2019, Wong sought international support for the pro-democracy movement, facing backlash from Beijing, which accused him of soliciting foreign interference in Hong Kong’s affairs.
Demosisto disbanded following the imposition of the national security law in 2020, a measure presented by authorities as essential for maintaining stability in the city. Many activists have since faced harsh penalties under this law, including former media tycoon Jimmy Lai, while others sought asylum in democracies such as the U.S. and the U.K.
Separately, Hong Kong authorities have announced rewards up to 1 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately $127,600) for information leading to the capture of Law and other activists now based abroad.
As the legal proceedings against Wong unfold, his case remains a focal point in the ongoing struggle for democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.
