TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A court in Hong Kong on Thursday (Dec. 19) barred democracy activist Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) from leaving the territory to observe Taiwan’s January 11 elections.

The Demosisto secretary general was slapped with a travel ban after he was arrested over a June 21 siege of police headquarters during protests against the extradition law. The authorities later also barred him from running in the November 24 local elections, which turned into a triumph for the supporters of more democracy.

On Thursday, Wong visited the Eastern Law Courts to file another appeal against the travel ban, mentioning that he had been invited to observe Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections in January and to speak at an Oxford Union event at Oxford University the following month.

Demosisto Chairman Ivan Lam (林朗彥) said he was also planning to travel to Taiwan, while activist Agnes Chow (周庭) told the court several universities in Japan had invited her to speak. However, the judge turned down all appeals, CNA reported.

In November, another Hong Kong court denied a similar request from Wong to travel overseas for speaking engagements and to receive an award.