Christian Activist Joshua Wong Handed 10-Year Sentence in Hong Kong, China

Christian pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been sentenced to another 10 years in prison in Hong Kong, prompting renewed calls for his release. The 30-year-old was sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under Beijing’s national security law.

Wong has been in prison since November 2020. He had been expected to be released in January 2027, but under the new sentence he faces remaining behind bars until late 2036. It is his second conviction under the national security legislation that Beijing imposed in 2020. He was already serving a sentence of four years and eight months, handed down in November 2024, for conspiracy to commit subversion.

Wong rose to international prominence as a teenage leader of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, which sought greater democracy in Hong Kong. He later co-founded the political party Demosisto, which disbanded when the national security law came into force. Raised in a Christian family, he has previously spoken about the influence of his faith on his campaigning and linked his pursuit of justice to the Christian responsibility to be “salt and light in society.”

Lord Alton responded on X, saying that although Wong is unjustly held behind bars, his passion for freedom, democracy and humanity must continue to inspire those who enjoy the freedom that Wong is denied. Former security minister Tom Tugendhat also paid tribute to Wong after the sentencing, describing him as a young activist defending the liberty of others in Hong Kong and noting that Wong could have gone into exile but chose courage.

Human rights organisation Hong Kong Watch called on governments to challenge the prosecution and to press for Wong’s immediate and unconditional release. Speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves is a basic duty of those with a voice (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith called on the UK government to act. He said the sentence was “an absolute disgrace” and an example of the Chinese Communist Party’s suppression of democracy and freedom in Hong Kong. He noted that he had raised Wong’s case in the House of Commons in September, calling on the government to confront Beijing over its treatment of peaceful protesters. He said the government must impose sanctions on those responsible and demand the release of Wong and of Jimmy Lai.

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