Hong Kong lawmakers condemn foreign governments’ criticism of Joshua Wong ruling

HONG KONG - Hong Kong’s Legislative Council (Legco) on Nov 7 said it condemns criticism by foreign governments of the sentencing of democracy activist Joshua Wong to an additional 10 years in jail under the city’s national security law.The lawmakers said in a statement that the criticism was “defaming and smearing” Hong Kong’s judicial system and national security laws, and “attempting to deliberately distort” Wong’s criminal acts as personal political expression.Wong, who has been behind bars since 2020, was on Nov 6 sentenced on a ​charge of collusion with foreign entities under the city’s ⁠national security law.A Legco spokesperson said that the critics were “entirely a political manipulation aimed at confusing the public and misleading the public of Hong Kong as well as the international community”.Hong Kong society has restored stability and prosperity, the Legco spokesperson said, adding the city has continued to rank among the top globally in various international business and competitiveness rankings.Wong, 30, was among a group of people whose protests were effectively outlawed by a sweeping national security law Beijing imposed on the Asian financial hub in 2020, after sometimes violent demonstrations. REUTERS