Hong Kong activists in Taiwan condemned the prosecution of Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) on Wednesday, September 2, as the prominent democracy campaigner pleaded guilty to a national security charge in the former British colony. They suggested the case is a warning to Taiwan to not trust China, which they said ignores basic human rights and treats any challenge to Beijing’s authority as treason.

Wong, 29, was charged while in prison last year with conspiracy to collude with “a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security.” The former Hong Kong student democracy movement leader had been expected to leave prison in January 2027, but the latest prosecution could substantially extend his incarceration.

Speaking at a press conference held outside Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan as Wong appeared before Hong Kong’s High Court, lawyer Eric Poon (桑普) said Wong had already spent more than 2,100 days in prison. He called for an end to political persecution and for the release of political prisoners, including Wong.

“The Joshua Wong I know would not want us to be sad,” said former Hong Kong district councilor Leos Lee (李文浩). “He would want us to find opportunities to fight back from outside.”

Lee went on to call for sanctions against officials, judges, police officers, and the Hong Kong Department of Justice. He urged Taiwan and other democracies to restrict the ability of judges involved in political prosecutions to travel in the “free world,” and said Wong and others imprisoned in Hong Kong should know they are not alone.

New School for Democracy Secretary-General Cecil Kung (龔欽龍) told Rti in an interview at the event that Wong’s case should serve as a warning to Taiwan. “Don’t trust communist China,” Kung said, accusing Beijing and Hong Kong authorities of ignoring basic human rights, including freedom of speech and the right to demonstrate.

Kung said Taiwan should prioritize practical assistance for Hong Kong people seeking resettlement in Taiwan or elsewhere overseas.