Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal rejects appeals by Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, 94, and four others, upholding their convictions for failing to register a now-defunct humanitarian relief fund tied to the 2019 anti-government protests. The court rules that the fund should have been registered under Hong Kong’s Societies Ordinance.
The fund, described in reporting as the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, was established to support people connected to the protests who had been arrested. The South China Morning Post specifies that the appeals court affirms the magistrate’s finding that the group fits the legal definition of a “society” and therefore required registration with police, or another step consistent with the ordinance. Other outlets report the same outcome, focusing on the appeal being dismissed and the convictions being maintained.
