Joshua Wong Chi-fung, who is serving a 56-month sentence at Stanley Prison for a subversion offense, appeared in court on Friday to face a charge of endangering national security.

The Hong Kong Police Force’s National Security Department on Friday morning arrested Wong on suspicion of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security — a contravention of the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong — with others, including fugitive Nathan Law Kwun-chung, who is wanted by police for national security offenses and has had a HK$1 million ($127,448) bounty placed on him.

Wong was brought to West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Friday afternoon to face the collusion charge. Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak announced that the case will be adjourned until Aug 8 to allow the police time for further investigation.

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The prosecution said Wong and Law — both core members of the now-defunct Demosisto — colluded with unidentified individuals between July and November, 2020, to instigate external sanctions against the authorities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chinese mainland.

Wong is also charged with allegedly dealing with property known or believed to represent the proceeds of an indictable offence, a violation under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

The 28-year-old was among the 45 people who were found guilty in November last year for their roles in an illegal poll that took place in 2020. The poll attempted to help the opposition camp win a majority in the 2020 Legislative Council (LegCo) election with the aim of paralyzing the SAR government. He was sentenced to 56 months in prison.

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Wong has served a number of prison terms for his engagement both in the illegal “Occupy Central” movement in 2014 and the social unrest of 2019.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com