Pro-democracy advocate Joshua Wong in Hong Kong admitted guilt on Wednesday to a charge of conspiring with foreign entities to endanger national security, as per a law imposed by Beijing that has muted the city’s once-vibrant pro-democracy movement. This marks Wong’s second prosecution under the national security legislation introduced in Hong Kong in 2020 to suppress widespread anti-government demonstrations from the previous year.
Appearing visibly slimmer in a blue shirt, Wong submitted his plea during the hearing. Prior to the session, a supporter encouraged him with words of support, while his friend Louis Lee shared that Wong had been engaging in various activities like reading, studying, playing the guitar, and exercising while in prison, exploring new interests behind bars. Lee expressed his hope for Wong’s swift release and emphasized their commitment to continuing their respective endeavors.
Expected to receive sentencing at a later date, Wong faces a potential prison term of three to 10 years, with the possibility of life imprisonment for severe offenses under the charge. By pleading guilty, Wong may receive a reduced sentence. Notably, he was already serving a sentence of four years and eight months following a guilty plea in a different national security case related to an unofficial political primary.
Critics view Wong’s case as a demonstration of the authorities’ efforts to silence prominent dissenters, which has had a chilling effect on civic activism. Conversely, to Beijing, Wong is perceived as an anti-China figure advocating for Hong Kong independence, a stance that authorities consider a red line.
Accused alongside fellow activist Nathan Law and others, Wong, 29, was charged with conspiring to enlist foreign entities to impose sanctions or other hostile measures against Hong Kong or China between July 1 and November 23, 2020. His rise to fame began in 2012 during protests against national education implementation in Hong Kong schools as a high school student, further solidifying his presence as a student leader during the 2014 Occupy Movement.
In 2016, Wong co-founded the political party “Demosisto” with young activists, including Law, who later became the city’s youngest legislator in the same year. The party disbanded following the enforcement of the security law in 2020, a move authorities deemed essential for the city’s stability.
Amid the unstructured 2019 protests, Wong played a role in seeking international backing for the democracy movement, drawing criticism from Beijing for allegedly soliciting foreign intervention. Other prominent activists, such as media mogul Jimmy Lai, also faced imprisonment under the same law, while some activists sought refuge in democratic nations like the U.S. and the U.K.
Separately, Hong Kong authorities offered rewards for information leading to the arrest of Law, who relocated to the U.K., and other activists residing overseas.