The appeal against the court’s verdict, which found them guilty of collaborating with a foundation that supported protesters during the 2019 unrest, was filed by Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen and four other opposition figures. UCA News reported this on April 25.
The appeal was filed by Cardian Zen, lawyer Margaret Ng, former lawmaker Sid Ho, academic Hui Poh Keung and singer Denise Ho, who were previously trustees of the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Fund, he said.
His appeal will be heard in the High Court on January 8, 2025, according to the court’s website. The hearing is likely to last three days.
In November 2022, then-chief judge Ada Yim found Cardinal Zen and the others guilty of failing to properly register their founding as a company in accordance with the city’s Companies Ordinance. They were fined HK$4,000 ($511) each as part of the verdict.
Sze Ching-wee, a former secretary of the foundation charged along with the trustees in the case, was also found guilty and fined HK$2,500.
Sze did not dispute his guilt.
The fund was created in June 2019 to provide financial and legal support to hundreds of arrested or injured opposition protesters who clashed with police during often violent demonstrations that broke out in the former British colony.
Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing administration has cracked down on protests and arrested dozens of politicians, activists and democracy supporters.
Cardinal Zen, long known as an outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its policies, was briefly detained along with other activists in May 2022, but was later released.
Many others, including Catholic media mogul and prominent opposition figure Jimmy Lai, have been jailed under Hong Kong’s new national security law imposed by Beijing.
The 2022 verdict ruled that the fund, created by five trustees, pursued “political objectives.” The judge also said the group attracted the public and had links to political groups.
In August 2021, the foundation announced its dissolution after learning that Alliance for True Democracy Limited, the company that owns the foundation, would soon cease to exist. The foundation used company bank accounts to receive donations.
Five administrators were arrested in May 2022 by city police. Local media reported at the time that they were accused of colluding with foreign forces, but no such charges were brought against them at trial.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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