By Salma El-Sakka
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong is expected to be sentenced Thursday for his second conviction under the Beijing-imposed national security law, in a case critics say reflects a widening crackdown on the city's once-vibrant pro-democracy movement.
Second conviction under security law
Wong, 30, was charged in 2025 with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. He pleaded guilty in September, facing a prison term ranging from three years to life imprisonment. Judge William Tam is scheduled to hand down the penalty Thursday morning, with members of the public queuing outside the court building since Tuesday to secure seats in the public gallery.
Existing prison term extended
Wong is already serving a four-year, eight-month sentence for the city's largest national security case, which stemmed from an unofficial primary election. Before the collusion charge, he had been expected to be released in January 2027.
Crackdown on civil society
Observers say the sentencing demonstrates the authorities' determination to keep prominent activists in prison for as long as possible, further chilling civic activism. “NSL charges can be repeatedly weaponized to keep a specific political prisoner in jail, if the government deems necessary,” said Eric Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law. Beijing views Wong as an anti-China figure supporting Hong Kong independence, while Hong Kong authorities maintain the security law is crucial for stability following the 2019 protests.
Prosecution details lobbying efforts
The prosecution alleged that Wong and fellow activist Nathan Law agreed around 2016 to lobby internationally for democratic self-determination. Before the security law took effect, the pair called for sanctions and other adverse measures against Hong Kong and China, citing meetings with U.S. politicians such as Nancy Pelosi and Marco Rubio in 2016 and 2019. After the law was enacted, Law continued advocacy abroad while Wong supported the effort from Hong Kong through foreign media and social media to draw international attention and bolster requests for sanctions or other hostile measures against China and Hong Kong.
Defense and personal background
Wong's lawyer, Derek Chan, urged the court to impose a sentence that would give his client some hope, noting that Wong wishes to care for his parents after release. Friends say that during nearly six years in prison, Wong has continued reading, exercising, and teaching himself guitar. To supporters, he represents a younger generation born in the final years of British colonial rule before Hong Kong's 1997 handover to China.
Pro-Beijing reaction to documentary
Despite his imprisonment, Wong's influence remains a concern for the pro-Beijing camp. In September, a pro-Beijing newspaper criticized a 2017 Netflix documentary about Wong for “beautifying” his crimes, prompting the city's security bureau to say it was taking follow-up action. The documentary subsequently rose to the top of Netflix's popular chart in Hong Kong.
