The High Court of Hong Kong sentenced Christian activist Joshua Wong to 10 years in prison in a new trial based on the national security law implemented in the territory. The ruling took place on Thursday (5), according to information released by China Aid.
The court found Wong guilty of conspiracy to collude with foreign or external forces to endanger national security. The 30-year-old activist had pleaded guilty to the charge in September.
Wong was already serving a sentence of four years and eight months for conspiracy to subvert state power, related to his participation in the unofficial primary election organized by the pro-democracy opposition in 2020.
Before the new sentence, official schedules indicated that the activist would be released on January 7, 2027. Under the updated calculation issued by the local judiciary, the new conviction pushes his release from January 2027 to late 2036.
The court order follows the expansion of state control over the special administrative region following the widespread public demonstrations recorded in 2019.
Why Was He Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison?
He was sentenced because prosecutors stated he requested foreign sanctions against Chinese and local officials in 2020. The request for external governments to punish officials in Hong Kong and Beijing was classified by judicial authorities as a direct threat to the territory's security.
The prosecution was structured under rules passed by the Chinese central government to curb political opposition and limit the operation of civic groups in the city.
Throughout the proceedings, prosecutors submitted records of Wong's communications with international organizations and foreign government representatives during the period of political unrest.
Joshua Wong's presence in local political advocacy began during his teenage years. Wong gained international prominence in 2014 by leading the Umbrella Movement, a public mobilization that occupied major city thoroughfares to demand direct elections.
His civil involvement continued in subsequent years through the creation of political groups and active participation in street demonstrations.
Recognizing his record of nonviolent advocacy for civil rights, five United States lawmakers nominated Joshua Wong for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Christian Faith Behind the Activism
Raised in a Christian household, Wong has publicly stated on multiple occasions that his religious convictions informed his commitment to social justice. Before his arrest in 2020, he pointed to Scripture reading as a source of endurance amid legal pressures.
In a social media post prior to his imprisonment, the activist quoted Romans 5:3-4: "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."
In the same statement, Wong addressed the physical limitations imposed by detention. "Bars can lock up our bodies, but never our unshakeable souls," he stated.
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