FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. AND LONDON, U.K. — Freedom House and the R.T. Weatherman Foundation today announced a joint partnership to advocate for the release of Hong Kong political prisoner Joshua Wong. As part of the effort, Freedom House’s Fred Hiatt Program to Free Political Prisoners is formally adopting Wong’s case.
Wong is a prominent leader in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement whose activism has received international attention and acclaim. He co-founded the student group Scholarism, was a key leader in the Umbrella Movement, and co-founded the pro-democracy political party Demosistō. As a result of his activism, he has been imprisoned several times, including continuously since November 2020. On September 2, he is expected to plead guilty to charges under Hong Kong’s National Security Law.
“Freedom House is proud to work with the R.T. Weatherman Foundation to advocate for Joshua Wong’s release,” said Jamie Fly, CEO of Freedom House. “Joshua is a passionate leader who inspired thousands to speak out against China’s increasing restrictions on Hong Kong’s autonomy and the freedoms of its citizens. We call for Joshua to be immediately and unconditionally released.”
“Joshua Wong faces life in prison simply for demanding that China adhere to the commitments it made in 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration,” said Andrew P. Duncan, co-founder of the R.T. Weatherman Foundation. “In that treaty, the British and Chinese governments agreed that Hong Kong would remain autonomous until 2047. But China has repeatedly flouted that treaty, and Joshua had every right to point that out and demand that the treaty terms be upheld. We will not rest until he is free.”
About Freedom House
Freedom House is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to create a world where all are free. We inform the world about threats to freedom, mobilize global action, and support democracy’s defenders.
About the R.T. Weatherman Foundation
The R.T. Weatherman Foundation is an NGO restoring what war destroys—body, mind, and spirit—while strengthening democratic resilience. We operate where humanitarian action and collective safety intersect. The Foundation works across the full spectrum of war: body, mind, and spirit.
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