Kathmandu— Prominent Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong, 29, has pleaded guilty to foreign collusion charges at the High Court in Admiralty on Wednesday. The charge could result in a life sentence under Beijing’s national security law imposed on the autonomous territory. Wong is accused of urging foreign countries to impose sanctions or engage in hostile activities against China and Hong Kong.

Background of National Security Law

The national security law was enacted by Beijing in 2020, following widespread pro-democracy protests that began in 2019. The law criminalizes acts such as secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces. Wong’s plea comes amid a series of high-profile cases under this legislation.

Wong's Previous Convictions

Wong is already serving nearly five years for subversion charges and was due to be released next year. He has been a key figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement since the Umbrella Movement protests in 2014, which later catalyzed the larger demonstrations of 2019.

Details of the Charges

Prosecutors allege that Wong wrote for newspapers and spoke to media outlets calling for international sanctions against China and Hong Kong after the security law took effect. He is also accused of meeting with foreign politicians, including former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and current Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Sentencing Process

After confirming his plea to the judge, Wong was told that the sentence will be decided “as soon as possible,” though no specific date was given. The charge carries a prison term of three to ten years or life imprisonment if deemed grave.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.