Hong Kong protests: relief fund needed to be registered because of its ‘massive’ size, trial involving Cardinal Joseph and five other activists told
- Registration of 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund did not impose an excessive burden on its core members, prosecutors tell West Kowloon Court
- Court begins hearing parties’ closing submissions in trial of six defendants over their alleged failure to register fund within a specified period
But the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund required registration with police given its “massive” size and “systematic” mode of operation, the prosecutors said, adding the legal requirement did not impose an excessive burden on its core members.
West Kowloon Court began hearing parties’ closing submissions on Wednesday after ruling last month that there was a case to answer for the six defendants over their alleged failure to register the fund within a specified period.
Zen, 90, was prosecuted for his role as a fund trustee alongside singer Denise Ho Wan-see, former Lingnan University academic Hui Po-keung, and ex-opposition lawmakers Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee and Cyd Ho Sau-lan. A sixth defendant, Sze Ching-wee, was charged over his role as the fund’s secretary.
The Societies Ordinance stipulates that a society must register with the societies officer, who is the police commissioner, or ask for an exemption, within one month of its establishment. Offenders can be fined HK$10,000 (US$1,274) upon a first breach.