Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong sentenced to 10 more years

Hong Kong's prominent democracy activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to an additional ten years in prison on Thursday for colluding with foreign entities, according to court proceedings released by the court. Wong, who gained international recognition during the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests, has been incarcerated for nearly six years and will turn 30 in the coming month.

Initially expected to be released in January after serving four years and eight months for subversion under Beijing's national security law, Wong was charged again in June 2025 by the same authorities. He pleaded guilty in September and entered the courtroom looking calm in a blue shirt and black glasses, waving at supporters as he departed.

Rights groups condemned the latest charge as a deliberate attempt by authorities to maintain Wong's imprisonment, while authorities portrayed it as a response to his alleged international lobbying efforts. Bejing has labeled Wong as one of the key leaders in what they describe as an open rebellion in 2019, despite his moderate stance.

His sentencing underscores Beijing's firm control over Hong Kong and the lack of opportunity for a return to the more lenient era before 2019, according to an expert.