A court press summary said the court had imposed a final sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on Wong. The 30-year-old former student leader has already spent almost six years in custody.

Wong had been expected to leave prison in January after completing a four-year, eight-month sentence for subversion under the national security law imposed by Beijing. Authorities brought a separate charge against him in June 2025 under the same legislation, alleging that he had called on foreign countries and entities to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China.

He pleaded guilty in September. His lawyer had sought a sentence of between three and 10 years, referring to the time Wong had already served.

Wong appeared calm when he entered court on Thursday morning, wearing a blue shirt and black glasses. He nodded towards supporters and looked around the public gallery and press area. After sentencing, he waved and thanked supporters as he was taken away. Some were heard telling him: “We’ll be waiting for your release.”

Dozens of people queued to attend the hearing, while police maintained a heavy presence outside the court building.

Second national security prosecution

Wong became widely known during Hong Kong’s 2014 Umbrella Movement protests. He has faced protest-related prosecutions and periods of imprisonment since 2017.

Authorities said his overseas lobbying began as early as 2016, when he promoted the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, legislation that would allow the US president to impose sanctions in response to human rights violations in the city. During the large and at times violent pro-democracy protests in 2019, Wong joined a delegation that travelled to the United States to lobby for the bill, which was later passed.

Beijing introduced the sweeping national security law in Hong Kong the following year, a move that prompted opposition groups to disband and activists to leave the city. Wong said at the time that he would “continue to defend my home -- Hong Kong -- until they silence me”.

He was among dozens of pro-democracy figures imprisoned for subversion in 2024 following Hong Kong’s largest national security trial. While some co-defendants have been released in recent months after completing their terms, Wong is the only person from that group to face a second charge under the security law.

Rights groups have criticised the collusion case as an effort by the authorities to ensure Wong remains imprisoned.

Supporters describe uncertainty over sentence

Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London, told AFP before the sentence was announced that Beijing regarded Wong as a key leader of what it viewed as “an open rebellion” in 2019, despite describing him as one of the moderates.

“He will be made an example of,” Tsang said. He added that the sentencing was intended to demonstrate that Beijing was maintaining close control over Hong Kong and that there was no prospect of returning to the more relaxed period before 2019.

Louis Lee, a friend and former member of the now-disbanded Scholarism student group co-founded by Wong, said the activist had remained “energetic” in prison but was at times “worried and nervous” about the outcome of the case.

Lee said Wong sometimes appeared disappointed during prison visits and would sigh. “There are always so many unknowns,” he said, adding that Wong had to accept the reality he faced rather than remain unhappy about it.

Margaret Chan, a 61-year-old retiree and long-time Wong supporter, called the sentence heartbreaking. “Such an outstanding young man, who has been exceptional since he was in his youth,” she told AFP, adding that Wong would be middle-aged by the time of his release.

Source: France 24 with AFP