Hong Kong's Court of Appeal on September 3 affirmed the conviction of five trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Fund for failing to register under the Societies Ordinance. The five, including Cardinal Joseph Zen, barrister Margaret Ng, and singer Denise Ho, were each fined HK$4,000 (US$510). The fund, established in 2019 to cover medical and legal costs for pro-democracy protesters, ceased operations in 2021.
The Societies Ordinance, enacted by the British colonial government in 1911 originally to control gangs, defines "society" broadly enough that virtually any informal group falls within it. To operate legally, a group must provide personal information to police and meet strict reporting obligations. The appeals court ruled that these requirements did not impose "an unacceptably harsh burden" on freedom of association.
The United Nations Human Rights Committee and civil society groups have long criticized the law for its vague language and sweeping scope. Since the United Kingdom handed sovereignty of Hong Kong to China in 1997, authorities have increasingly used the Societies Ordinance against pro-democracy groups, including to ban the Hong Kong National Party and prosecute trade union leaders.
The five trustees face a separate prosecution under the 2020 National Security Law imposed by Beijing, charged with alleged "foreign collusion." That case remains open.
