Who Is Joshua Wong? Hong Kong Activist Faces Possible Life Term In Second Security Case

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty on Wednesday to colluding with foreign entities, in a national security case that could see him sentenced to life imprisonment if the offence is deemed grave.

Wong, 29, entered the plea at Hong Kong’s High Court in Admiralty on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The case is his second prosecution under the city’s national security law.

Why Has Joshua Wong Pleaded Guilty?

Wong's charge centres on collusion with foreign entities, an offence linked to Hong Kong’s national security law. Authorities have used that law in cases involving opposition figures and overseas links.

Prosecutors allege that Wong collaborated with exiled Hong Kong activist Nathan Law in efforts to persuade foreign governments to impose sanctions, blockades or other hostile measures against China. The prosecution told the court that Wong travelled abroad and held meetings with foreign politicians as part of lobbying efforts targeting Hong Kong and China.

According to prosecutors, Wong continued advocating sanctions against Hong Kong and China after Beijing's National Security Law came into force. The court also heard that he publicised some of his meetings with foreign politicians on social media.

Why Has Joshua Wong Pleaded Guilty?

Wong has remained in prison continuously since November 2020. He has spent almost six years in custody and was previously expected to be released in January 2027.

The offence carries a prison sentence ranging from three to 10 years, while a case classified as being “of a grave nature” can result in life imprisonment.

Wong is already serving a nearly five-year prison term for subversion and had been expected to leave prison next year. After the charges were read in court, the 29-year-old stood and responded loudly, “Confirm.” The judge said a decision on his sentence would be made “as soon as possible”, without giving a specific date, according to Al Jazeera.

The latest case follows the conviction of two other activists last month for inciting subversion. Prosecutors said the pair had used the slogan “end one-party dictatorship” in their political activities.

In Wong's case, prosecutors told the court on Wednesday that he had written newspaper articles and spoken to media organisations in support of international sanctions against China and Hong Kong after the national security law came into effect. They also said he had held meetings with foreign political figures, including former US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and current US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as per Al Jazeera.

Wong became one of the best-known international figures of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement during the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests. The demonstrations later became an important precursor to the 2019 protests, which were followed by Beijing's introduction of the national security law.

He was also among the co-founders of Demosisto, a pro-democracy political party established in 2016. The party was dissolved in 2020, on the same day that Hong Kong's national security law came into force.