Joshua Wong gets 10-year jail term for foreign collusion; police welcome sentence
Joshua Wong, former secretary of Hong Kong's Demosistō, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiring with foreign forces to endanger national security. Police senior superintendent Li Kwai-wah welcomed the heavy sentence, describing Wong as a repeat offender and urging him to reflect on his ac
A former leader of the defunct Demosistō group was sentenced to 10 years in prison on 5 November 2026 after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or external forces to endanger national security. The sentence was handed down by the High Court.
Senior Superintendent Li Kwai-wah of the National Security Division of the Hong Kong Police Force welcomed the heavy penalty, saying it demonstrated that the court had determined the seriousness of the offence. Li said Wong had been involved in social activism since he was a minor and had been implicated in various offences from the age of 18, including violations of the national security law.
Li described Wong as a repeat offender, noting that among his past actions was the June 2019 incident in which protesters surrounded the Police Headquarters. In that case, Li said, Wong was charged as an organiser and an inciter.
The police officer said the various incidents showed that Wong was unwilling to abide by the law and had even disregarded the court. Li expressed hope that Wong would use the remainder of his time in prison to continue reflecting on the wrongdoings and harm he had caused to the nation and Hong Kong, and to cultivate a respect for the law and a proper understanding of the country.
