Joshua Wong sentenced to 10 years in prison in Hong Kong
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Human Rights Watch
Hong Kong’s courts have sentenced democracy movement figure Joshua Wong to 10 years in prison for “collusion with foreign forces” under the national security law. Human Rights Watch denounces the unjust sentence and calls for his immediate release, according to the organisation.
The Hong Kong High Court sentenced democracy activist Joshua Wong to 10 years in prison on 5 November 2026 for “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces” under the national security law, Human Rights Watch reports. Wong, 30, has been detained since November 2020 and could remain imprisoned until the end of 2036.
The authorities accuse him, together with Nathan Law and others, of calling on foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China between 2016 and November 2020. The prosecution notably relied on his international lobbying activities, media appearances and social media posts. Demosisto, the party co-founded by Wong, ceased its activities on 30 June 2020.
Human Rights Watch is calling for Joshua Wong’s immediate and unconditional release and urging foreign governments to sanction those responsible for his detention. The organisation says successive prosecutions of pro-democracy figures serve to prolong their imprisonment.
