HONG KONG — Distinguished Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong on Friday was charged with conspiracy to collude with overseas forces to hazard nationwide safety beneath a Beijing-imposed legislation that critics say has crushed Hong Kong’s once-thriving pro-democracy motion.
The prosecution was the second time Wong has been charged beneath the sweeping nationwide safety legislation. He was already convicted in a separate subversion case linked to an unofficial major election and is serving a sentence of 4 years and eight months.
The prosecution accused Wong, 28, of conspiring with fellow activist Nathan Regulation and others to ask overseas nations, establishments, organizations and people outdoors of China to impose sanctions or blockades, or have interaction in different hostile actions, in opposition to Hong Kong and China.
In addition they stated he disrupted the formulation and implementation of legal guidelines and insurance policies by the Chinese language and Hong Kong governments, and that the act was prone to have severe penalties. The alleged offense occurred between July 2020 and November 2020.
The prosecution did not elaborate on the accusations in courtroom. The cost carries a most penalty of life imprisonment.
After listening to the cost in courtroom, Wong, who wore a blue shirt and was visibly thinner, stated he “understood” the cost.
The case was adjourned to August.
Nationwide safety police arrested Wong in Stanley, an space in southern Hong Kong, over the nationwide safety cost and in addition on suspicion of “coping with property identified or believed to characterize proceeds of indictable offense,” police stated in an announcement.
Wong rose to fame in Hong Kong in 2012 as a highschool scholar main protests in opposition to the introduction of nationwide training within the metropolis’s colleges. Two years later, he turned world well-known as a frontrunner of the Occupy Motion.
In 2016, Wong co-founded a political get together named “Demosisto” with fellow younger activists Regulation and Agnes Chow. Within the 2019 pro-democracy motion, Wong helped search abroad assist for the protests. His activism led Beijing to label him an advocate of Hong Kong’s independence who “begged for interference” by overseas forces.
Demosisto disbanded when Beijing imposed the safety legislation in 2020. The Chinese language and Hong Kong governments stated the legislation introduced again stability to town.
