Joshua Wong, one of Hong Kong’s longest-serving political prisoners, has pleaded guilty to a fresh charge of “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.” The new prosecution under Beijing’s sweeping national security law, brought whilst Wong was already serving time for his role in the 2020 primary election trial ensures that one of the city’s prominent democratic voices faces an indefinite future behind bars.
The hearing laid bare the staggering human toll of a legal campaign that appears designed to keep prominent activists permanently incarcerated. Wong was first remanded in November 2020 at just 24 years old. Having already spent more than 2,100 days in custody, he will mark his 30th birthday behind bars next month. Though previously on track for release in early 2027, this latest charge effectively destroys any near-term prospect of freedom.
Appearing in court in a crisp blue shirt and dark glasses, Wong looked noticeably thinner, yet appeared in remarkably resilient spirits.. As the hearing concluded, he turned to the public gallery with a resilient smile, calling out: “Bye-bye, bye-bye!”
Despite his prolonged detention, Wong has refused to let prison break his spirit. His legal team revealed he has read over 100 books across diverse disciplines andpersonally submitted a letter of mitigation to the bench, expressing his enduring hope to eventually re-enter society, lead a purposeful life, and care for his ageing parents.
Crucially, the case highlights how Hong Kong authorities are using retrofitting tactics to punish historical dissent. The vast majority of the conduct cited by prosecutors occurred before the national security law came into effect on 30 June 2020. The state’s case relies heavily on Wong’s international diplomacy between 2016 and 2019, including meetings with US officials, an address to the European Parliament, and petitions calling for an embargo on strategic equipment sales to Hong Kong police. For his actions after the law was enacted, prosecutors pointed primarily to a single retweeted post from self-exiled activist Nathan Law.
Former allies and international advocates condemned the prosecution’s strategy of framing pre-2020 activism as “background context” to stitch together a criminal case. Frances Hui, a fellow former student leader now advocating in the US, revealed that Wong had tentatively begun mapping out a life beyond the prison walls before the fresh charges landed.
“Watching fellow activists walk free whilst remaining trapped yourself, with no horizon in sight is agonizing,” Hui said, urging the global community not to let his enforced silence dull the memory of his struggle. “He is a human being of flesh and blood. People may hear from him less these days, but he remains a living, breathing person, still the very same Joshua we remember.”
The plea coincides with a joint campaign launched by rights groups, including Amnesty International Taiwan and diaspora organisations, demanding that the Hong Kong government drop all national security charges and immediately release all political prisoners across the territory.
Photo: Pulse HK News