Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2nd national security case

HONG KONG — Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday for his second conviction under a Beijing-imposed national security law, in a case that critics say reflects the crackdown on the Chinese territory’s once-thriving pro-democracy movement.

Wong was charged in 2025 with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security under the law. In September, he pleaded guilty to the offense, a move that can typically reduce the sentence.

Wong, 30, is already serving a four-year, eight-month prison term for the city’s biggest national security case linked to an unofficial primary after entering a guilty plea in that case. Before being prosecuted for the collusion-related charge, Wong had been expected to be freed in January 2027.

Judge William Tam said during the sentencing hearing that Wong’s offense was of a grave nature and rejected that his role was limited. He also said he considered a 13-year prison sentence as a starting point but reduced it because of Wong’s guilty plea.

Wong looked calm and thanked his supporters before leaving the court. His supporters waved to him and Tiffany Chin, a former member of the now-disbanded Scholarism, once led by Wong, was…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business