Congress Watch · Report · File No. 261105-682
Top House Republican condemns China's 10-year sentence for Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong
Rep. John Moolenaar, who leads the House Select Committee on China, called Wong a "hero" and demanded his release after a Hong Kong court handed down a second national security sentence.
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A Hong Kong court on Thursday sentenced pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong to 10 more years in prison under a Beijing-imposed national security law, after he pleaded guilty to "foreign collusion" 12. Wong, 30, is the only person prosecuted twice under that law, according to The Guardian 2.
Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), chair of the House Select Committee on China, condemned the sentence in a statement, calling Wong a "hero" 1. "Joshua only pleaded guilty to the baseless charge of foreign collusion because of the CCP's systematic erosion of Hong Kong's judicial independence," Moolenaar wrote, using an abbreviation for the Chinese Communist Party 1.
The Michigan Republican called the sentencing "a shameless display of the CCP's complete disregard for the universal human rights of life and liberty endowed to all of us by our Creator" 1. He said international support is needed "now more than ever" and demanded Wong be released "and reunited with his family" 1. Moolenaar sponsored Wong for the Defending Freedoms Project at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, which highlights prisoners the lawmaker says are unjustly imprisoned for their identity, beliefs, or peaceful expression 1.
The U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong strongly condemned the additional sentence and called for Wong's immediate release 2. A consular spokesperson said Wong has been unjustly imprisoned since December 2020, demonstrating that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate for fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong 2.
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China pushed back. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing that Wong had pleaded guilty and that relevant parties should stop making remarks about the city's judicial proceedings and not interfere 1. The Guardian reported that China warned relevant parties to stop making irresponsible remarks about Hong Kong judicial cases 2.
The UK Foreign Office said the sentence was "a clear example of how the National Security Law is being used to target individuals for political expression and participation" 2. Human Rights Watch Asia director Elaine Pearson called it "cruel and unjust," and Amnesty International deputy regional director Sarah Brooks criticized the timing of the new conviction 2.
Wong had already spent six years in detention and was due for release in January 2027, according to The Guardian 2. The Hill reported he was expected to be released in January after serving more than four years in a prior national security case, and that he received new charges, including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security, in 2025 1.
The response so far has been a series of condemnations from U.S. and British officials and rights groups, met by China's demand that outside governments stay out of Hong Kong's courts 12. Wong's supporters, including friend and co-conspirator Nathan Law, are calling on governments around the world to push for his release 2.
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Sources
- The Hill, “Top Republican condemns sentencing of 'hero' Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong” (2026-11-05). thehill.com/homenews/house/6200253-john-moolenar-joshua-wong
- The Guardian, “UK and US condemn ‘cruel’ second jail term handed to Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong | Hong Kong | The Guardian” (2026-11-05). theguardian.com/world/2026/nov/05/uk-and-us-condemn-second-j
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