Hong Kong court upholds conviction of Cardinal Joseph Zen

Key Points:

• A Hong Kong court dismissed appeals by Cardinal Joseph Zen and four others over their convictions for failing to register the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which aided arrested protesters during the 2019 anti-government protests.
• The five trustees were fined HK$4,000 each in 2022 for breaching the Societies Ordinance, marking the first convictions of their kind related to unregistered organizations.
• Judges ruled the fund was intended to collect and apply donations supporting the protests and emphasized that registration requirements did not impose an unacceptably harsh burden on freedom of association.
• Defendants plan to appeal to Hong Kong’s top court, seeking clarification on what constitutes a “society” and registration obligations for group activities, highlighting concerns about civil society freedoms.
• The case reflects broader political tensions following the 2019 protests and the impact of the Beijing-imposed national security law, which has significantly curtailed Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and civil liberties.