Joshua Wong Pleads Guilty to Foreign Collusion

A Hong Kong government spokesman brushed off international criticism of the prosecution: "The lawful exercise of free speech must not be conflated with taking actions to collude with a foreign country to impose 'sanctions' to harm one's own country."

Beijing officials have labeled Wong and other pro-democracy activists "separatists," and treat support for Hong Kong independence as a red line. Both the Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the security law has restored stability.

Rights groups say the opposite — that the law has stifled dissent and made criticism of the government legally dangerous. Critics of the case say it shows the authorities' determination to silence the movement's best-known figures.

Security was heavy outside the court, with police registering and searching dozens of people in line, CNN reported. Gloria Cheng, 32, a friend of Wong's, said: "This is not the first time for him and there were others before him. It really shows the state of affairs in Hong Kong now."

Louis Lee, who has visited Wong in jail, said the activist has tried to stay positive by studying, working out and learning guitar, but was devastated to be charged a second time. "We are very upset because no one would like to spend another day in prison," Lee said.