Joshua Wong jailed 10 years for foreign collusion

Former activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to conspiracy in orchestrating a scheme with foreign entities to undermine national security. High Court Judge William Tam deemed the offense grave under the National Security Law. Wong and his associates, including Nathan Law, continued to advocate for foreign sanctions, blockades, or hostile actions against China and Hong Kong even after the enactment of the NSL.

The court noted that Wong and his allies deliberately positioned themselves to receive explicit calls for such measures from overseas allies while Wong published and amplified these appeals from Hong Kong. Judge Tam initially imposed a 13-year sentence, but reduced it by three years due to the guilty plea and mitigating factors, resulting in a 10-year term, which is the minimum for a grave offense.

Two months and two days of the new sentence will overlap with the already imposed sentence for another subversion case. Steve Li, Chief Superintendent of the police's National Security Department, commented to reporters outside the High Court, expressing hope that Wong would reflect on his actions against the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region during his incarceration.

Li urged Wong to use his time in prison to learn the importance of respecting the law and understanding his country.