Bloomberg Quicktake: Now published this video item, entitled “Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen in Court on National Security Charges” – below is their description.
The former bishop of Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen and a popular singer Denise Ho, who were part of the “612 Humanitarian Relief Fund”, went to court Tuesday on national security charges.
The charges are related to their role administering the fund, now shut down, which used to collect money for people who got in trouble during popular protests in 2019 and 2020.
Cardinal Joseph Zen and Denise Ho arrived at court together with lawyer Margaret Ng and academic Hui Po-keung, who are also facing the same charge of “failing to apply for registration or exemption from registration within the specific time.”
Two other defendants, Sze Ching-wee and Cyd Ho, arrived separately. Sze is free but Cyd Ho is already in prison for her protesting in 2019.
The six ran the “612 Humanitarian Relief Fund”, named after 12 June 2019, a major day of protest against unpopular legislation that would have allowed Hong Kong citizens to be extradited to mainland China. The fund shut down in 2021.
Prosecutors say that it should have been registered under Hong Kong’s Societies Ordinance.
Zen and his fellow defendants denied the charges.
Earlier in May, police arrested five of the group, including Zen, on suspicion of “collusion with foreign forces”, also in relation to their fund.
Tuesday’s court appearance was a short procedural session. The group will have to return to court in September for the main part of the trial.
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