Hong Kong Activist Joshua Wong Faces Decade Behind Bars After Second Conviction

Joshua Wong, now 30, spent the last 15 years leading Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement from the streets to the legislative arena. On Thursday, he received a second prison sentence under Beijing's national security law, cementing his status as one of the territory's most prominent incarcerated dissidents.

Wong pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. The court handed down a 10-year prison term. This follows a 2024 sentence of four years and eight months for his role in an unofficial primary election in 2020. Critics argue the repeated imprisonments show the authorities' resolve to keep vocal leaders behind bars, while Beijing characterizes Wong as an anti-China figure who supports independence.

Wong first gained national attention in 2012 as a 15-year-old high school student. He led Scholarism, a group that protested the introduction of national education in schools. Thousands gathered outside government headquarters, and some members launched hunger strikes. The government eventually shelved its plans. Louis Lee, a former Scholarism member, recalled sleeping on the streets during those protests. He feared the demonstrations might end like the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Lee described Wong as a demanding leader who closely monitored the group's work. "Back then, the Scholarism members always joked that he was a merciless boss," Lee said.

In 2014, Wong became the face of the Umbrella Movement. Protesters used umbrellas to block pepper spray while occupying major thoroughfares for 79 days. They sought direct elections for the city's leader but failed. Scholar Chan Kin-man, a movement leader, noted that Wong was not a key decision-maker but stirred crowds with rare political energy. Chan viewed Wong as a youthful challenger to a powerful establishment. However, Chan also noted that Wong sometimes acted without informing others. He stormed a fenced-off forecourt before the planned start of the Occupy protest, swelling the turnout beyond expectations. Another student group was caught off guard when Wong and other members launched a hunger strike near the end of the movement.

After the 2014 movement, Wong co-founded the political party Demosisto in 2016. The party advocated for self-determination and a referendum on the city's political future. A Chinese official later stated that self-determination equates to independence. During the leaderless 2019 anti-government protests, Wong focused on seeking overseas support rather than street leadership. He urged U.S. politicians to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. Beijing criticized him for begging for interference. As the national security law approached, Wong urged the U.S. to sanction China. Demosisto disbanded when the law took effect.

Wong has been arrested and jailed repeatedly. He was expected to be freed in January next year before his June 2025 arrest for the collusion offense. While in prison, Wong asked Chan to send him "Letters to Olga," a collection of letters written by Czech dissident Václav Havel. In a letter to Chan, Wong reflected on becoming a better son and a more mature politician. "He was a political machine," Chan said. "But through our correspondence later, I feel he is someone who is very reflective, and an increasingly mature politician."

Lee visits Wong regularly in prison. They exchange letters, and Wong continues to read books, take university courses, and teach himself guitar. Lee said Wong has softened behind bars, caring more about others' personal lives and sending cards on special occasions. "The message he gave me is that the most important thing is to not forget why you first stepped forward," Lee said, relaying advice from 2021. "He also believes that what we learned in the organization will continue to be useful today and will keep helping us grow."

Scholarism ended a decade ago, but Lee keeps a book about the group. Inside, a 16-year-old Wong wrote to his future self. "I truly believe that having space as a student to participate in social movements and to contribute a little more to Hong Kong, I can at least tell everyone that I have lived vibrantly and meaningfully," he wrote.