Photo: Honcques Laus / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
The UN Human Rights Office has raised concerns over harsh national security sentences against activists in Hong Kong and Macao. ISHR joins 39 other organisations in condemning Joshua Wong’s sentencing and calling for his immediate release.
On 6 November, the UN Human Rights Office warned that the imposition of harsh penalties under national security legislation in Hong Kong and Macao was ‘deeply concerning’, following lengthy prison sentences handed down to two prominent pro-democracy activists.
Both the convictions and sentences are flagrantly incompatible with international human rights law.
In Hong Kong, Joshua Wong was sentenced on 5 November to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law. Wong, who has been detained since November 2020, had previously received a four-year-and-eight-month prison sentence in 2024 for his participation in an unofficial democratic primary election.
The UN Human Rights Office noted that Wong’s latest sentence would translate to 16 years in detention for exercising his fundamental rights and freedoms.
The Office also highlighted the case of former Macao legislator Au Kam San, who was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison in the first known case under Macao’s national security law. His conviction followed closed-door proceedings in which he was unable to be represented by a lawyer of his choice – a clear violation of the right to a fair hearing.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reiterated his call for convictions and sentences imposed on national security grounds in Hong Kong, Macao and elsewhere in China to be carefully reviewed against international human rights obligations.
In a joint statement, ISHR joined 39 other human rights organisations in condemning Wong’s sentencing and raising concerns over the continued erosion of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.
Wong, who recently marked his 30th birthday in prison, rose to prominence as a student activist and became one of the leading figures of Hong Kong’s 2014 Umbrella Movement. He later co-founded the pro-democracy political party Demosistō, which disbanded following the imposition of the National Security Law in 2020.
His latest conviction followed additional charges brought in June 2025 over his earlier advocacy, with prosecutors citing meetings with foreign government officials as part of their case.
The organisations called on Hong Kong authorities to release Wong immediately and unconditionally, and urged governments to intensify diplomatic efforts to secure his release, including by raising his case directly with Chinese authorities.
ISHR joins civil society organisations in urging the Chinese, Hong Kong and Macao authorities to end the criminalisation of peaceful human rights advocacy, release those arbitrarily detained for exercising their fundamental freedoms, and uphold their international human rights commitments and basic principles of human rights law.
Over two days, the forum celebrated the African Charter’s historic achievement but converged on a clear warning: its next phase must prioritise implementation, resourcing, the protection of civic space, accountability, and tangible remedies so that the Charter becomes an enforceable source of protection in people’s daily lives rather than an aspiration on paper.
At the margins of the 89th session of the African commission, civil society groups discussed the growing challenges and threats weighing on journalists working the Sahel.
Zambia must ensure that human rights defenders can speak out, organise and work freely. In a joint submission to the African Commission, ISHR, SACCORD and ZNHRD highlight restrictive legislations and call for progress towards the adoption of the law for the promotion and protection of the rights of defenders.
