Ten Governments Condemn Hong Kong National Security Law Convictions, Raise Concern Over Joshua Wong’s 10-Year Sentence
Joint Statement by the United States and Nine International Partners Calls for an End to Prosecutions Over Political Expression
By Suman Munshi | IBG NEWS
WASHINGTON / HONG KONG, November 7, 2026: A coalition of ten governments, led by the United States, has strongly criticised the recent convictions of Hong Kong Alliance leaders and the sentencing of prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong to 10 years in prison under Hong Kong’s National Security Law (NSL).
In a joint statement released on November 6, 2026, the governments of the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom expressed serious concern over what they described as the use of national security legislation to target individuals for political expression and participation.
The statement was issued through the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Spokesperson.
Joshua Wong Receives 10-Year Prison Sentence
The joint statement highlighted the 10-year imprisonment sentence imposed on Joshua Wong following an additional charge under Hong Kong’s National Security Law.
Wong has been one of the most recognisable figures associated with Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. His latest sentencing has intensified international concerns about the political and legal environment in the Chinese Special Administrative Region.
The ten governments also referred to the recent convictions of leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance under the same legislation, arguing that these developments represent a broader pattern of restrictions on political participation and freedom of expression.
International Coalition Demands an End to Prosecutions
The signatories called for an immediate end to what they characterised as unjust prosecutions of individuals charged under the National Security Law.
They also urged the authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong to respect their international obligations and protect the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to Hong Kong’s population.
Particular reference was made to the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, the agreement that established the framework for Hong Kong’s transfer from British to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 and provided for the preservation of Hong Kong’s existing social and economic systems and rights under the principle of ‘One Country, Two Systems’.
Hong Kong’s Autonomy and International Commitments Under Scrutiny
The latest joint intervention reflects continuing international disagreements over the implementation of Hong Kong’s national security framework and its implications for civil liberties, political opposition and democratic participation.
The National Security Law, introduced in June 2020, has remained at the centre of international debate over the balance between national security and the protection of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.
For the ten governments, the latest convictions and sentencing raise renewed questions about the extent to which the rights and freedoms promised under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration are being upheld.
The statement also signals that developments in Hong Kong continue to attract diplomatic attention from major Western and Asia-Pacific governments.
A Continuing Test for Hong Kong’s International Standing
The latest diplomatic response places Hong Kong’s legal and political developments once again under international scrutiny. While authorities in China and Hong Kong have defended national security legislation as necessary for maintaining stability and safeguarding national security, critics argue that its application has significantly narrowed the space for political dissent.
The issue goes beyond the fate of individual activists. It touches on the credibility of international commitments, the future of Hong Kong’s institutional autonomy and the broader relationship between national security and civil liberties.
As international reactions continue, the treatment of pro-democracy activists and the implementation of the National Security Law are likely to remain important issues in relations between China and several Western governments.
Source: U.S. Department of State, Office of the Spokesperson – Joint Statement on the Conviction of Hong Kong Alliance Leaders and Sentencing of Joshua Wong, November 6, 2026.
Official Statement: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/11/on-the-conviction-of-hong-kong-alliance-leaders-and-sentencing-of-joshua-wong/
