Former Secretary-General of Hong Kong’s Demosistō, Joshua Wong, was accused of conspiring with Demosistō’s founding chairman Nathan Law and others to request foreign sanctions against Hong Kong, leading to charges of “conspiring with foreign forces.” The case was heard for defense and sentencing in the High Court today. A group of citizens gathered outside the court, with some even queuing overnight for a chance to attend. Representatives from various consulates in Hong Kong were also present.
The charges allege that Joshua Wong conspired with Nathan Law and others of unknown identities between July 1, 2020, and November 23, 2020, to seek foreign or overseas institutions, organizations, and personnel to impose sanctions, block, or take other hostile actions against Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or the People’s Republic of China.
Justice Tam Yiu Ho mentioned that Joshua Wong pleaded guilty in May this year. Former member of Scholarism, Louis, who has known Joshua Wong for over a decade expressed his hope to see Joshua outside prison soon. Louis revealed that Joshua Wong is engaged in reading, learning new things such as playing the guitar and doing Gym inside the prison, and encouraged everyone to maintain their daily routines like Joshua.
Louis found it challenging to predict the length of Joshua Wong’s sentence but hopes for a favorable outcome, suggesting that a shorter sentence would be better. When asked if he had any message for Joshua Wong, he replied, “I believe that he, I, or our friends outside will each continue to work hard in our respective fields.”
Another former member of Scholarism, Candy, was also present for the hearing. She mentioned that someone in their twenties should be enjoying life, developing a career, and spending time with family and friends, instead of serving time in prison like Joshua. She acknowledged Joshua’s efforts towards the political development of Hong Kong and emphasized that he deserves a chance at freedom.
Candy shared that she visited Joshua Wong three to four months ago and found him in a decent state. She expressed her wish for Joshua’s safety and health and hoped that he could make more friends even while incarcerated.
Social activist Lei Yuk-Lin, known as Lei Sister, arrived at the court around 6 p.m. last night to join the queue. She noticed a group of suspicious individuals, whom she described as organized and even carrying luggage, appearing around 8 p.m. last night, seemingly trying to jump the queue. Most of the courtroom’s public tickets were taken by them. She showed a piece of paper with Joshua Wong’s phone number that he gave her many years ago. She recalled how Joshua Wong, whom she still considers “a kid,” used to document current events with his camera, which is how they met.
Regarding the potential sentence, Lei Sister believes that the court may give Joshua Wong a severe punishment, possibly up to ten years. She expressed her determination to wait for Joshua Wong’s release, saying, “I will wait for you to come out, to personally write ‘Joshua Wong’ with your hand. I don’t know how long I have to wait, but I will wait for you to come out.”