Jailed HK activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty to foreign collusion

Prominent Hong Kong pro‑democracy activist Joshua Wong, 29, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to colluding with foreign entities, a charge under Beijing’s National Security Law (NSL) that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Wong, already serving a four‑year‑and‑eight‑month sentence for subversion after a 2024 conviction, faced the new allegation that he conspired with fellow campaigner Nathan Law—who now lives in exile—to urge foreign governments and organisations to impose sanctions or blockades against Beijing. The court heard that the alleged lobbying took place between July and late November 2020, the period when the NSL was first introduced, and that Wong and Law travelled to the United States, Germany and Italy to promote the U.S. Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which mandates sanctions on officials deemed responsible for rights abuses. Although the court will determine the final sentence at a later date, Wong’s existing term is set to end early next year.

The case underscores the broader crackdown on dissent that the NSL has enabled since its enactment, a law critics argue has fostered a climate of fear and effectively silenced opposition in the city. Prosecutors highlighted Wong’s continued political activism despite the disbanding of his party Demosistō in 2016, noting his public commitment to seeking international support and his role in founding the party and contesting the 2016 Legislative Council elections. By charging Wong with foreign collusion while he is already incarcerated, authorities signal that even previously convicted activists remain vulnerable to additional, potentially harsher penalties, reinforcing the law’s expansive reach over both domestic and overseas advocacy.

Around 40 supporters, including fellow activists and close friends, gathered in the courtroom, some chanting encouragement as Wong, dressed in a dark‑blue shirt and dark‑rimmed glasses, smiled and nodded. Former League of Social Democrats member Tsang Kin‑shing called for leniency, pointing out that Wong has already spent more than 2,000 days behind bars, while activist Louis Lee expressed disappointment at the new NSL charge. Inside prison, Wong has taken up guitar lessons and regular workouts, attempts to maintain personal development amid his prolonged detention. The proceedings illustrate the continuing pressure on Hong Kong’s pro‑democracy movement and raise questions about how further NSL prosecutions will shape the city’s political landscape and its activists’ ability to engage with the international community.

⚡ Effects Interpreter