Joshua Wong pleads guilty to foreign collusion

Former activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges of collusion with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security, according to reporters. The prosecution informed the High Court that Wong and fellow activist Nathan Law had allegedly conspired in 2016 to pursue political objectives through international lobbying efforts.

Before the enforcement of Hong Kong's National Security Law, the court heard that Wong and Law had sought the assistance of foreign institutions, organizations, and individuals to impose sanctions or engage in hostile actions against the Special Administrative Region (SAR) and China. Following the implementation of the National Security Law, the prosecution claimed that Wong continued to promote such endeavors via foreign media and social media platforms.

The defense lawyer, speaking in mitigation, mentioned that Wong had been incarcerated since the age of 24 and is now around 30 years old. The lawyer noted that Wong is currently serving a sentence set to end in January 2027, excluding the present case. The defense lawyer implored the court to establish a more lenient starting point for Wong's sentence. Justice Tam subsequently adjourned the case to a later date.