A large number of pro-democracy figures and organizations have been liquidated by the government since the implementation of the National Security Law (NSL) in Hong Kong in 2019. Even the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which provided humanitarian assistance to democracy protesters in the anti-extradition movement, has been accused of violating the “requirements under the Societies Ordinance.” Five trustees of the fund and the secretary were charged earlier, there was a pre-trial on Aug. 9 and a 5-day trial that started on Sept. 19, and the case is scheduled to be decided on Nov. 25.
From 2019 to 2020, there were a series of demonstrations in response to the introduction of Hong Kong’s extradition bill, as the citizens feared that the bill would extend Beijing’s reach into the city and destroy the freedoms of people and businesses in Hong Kong. It was the largest series of demonstrations in the history of Hong Kong, with over 10 thousand in the movement arrested.
Established on July 6, 2019, during the early stage of the anti-extradition bill movement, the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund (612 Fund) was founded by veteran barrister Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, after a lot of protesters had been arrested by the police in the vicinity of Admiralty and Central on June 6, 2019.
The Fund provided humanitarian and relevant financial support to persons who were injured, arrested, attacked, or threatened with violence during the protest. The five trustees of the fund include retired cleric Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, veteran barrister Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee and singer Denise Ho Wan-see, jailed democracy activist Cyd Ho Sau-lan and a prominent cultural studies scholar Hui Po-keung.
According to the work report published by the 612 Fund in July 2021, the total income of the Fund stood at over HK$236 million (US$30.2 million), and it had distributed more than HK$212 million (US$27.1 million) to assist the protesters, and around 23 thousand people were being helped.
“Since the National Security Law was imposed, authorities have clamped down on free speech, press freedom, and free association,” said UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
The NSL has disbanded or prosecuted many non-governmental organizations supporting the arrested pro-democracy protesters fighting for democracy and freedom for various crimes such as fraud and money laundering. The 612 Fund has not been spared either.
The Alliance for True Democracy, which is responsible for hosting the 612 Fund, announced its dissolution in August 2021 and announced on the same day that it planned to cease operation in an orderly manner by the end of October. Although the 612 Fund ended under the threat of the NSL after only two years of establishment, the Fund and its core members cannot acquit themselves well.
The 612 Fund was attacked by pro-communist media on the eve of the suspension of operations, claiming that the fund has not registered as a society and violated the NSL because of “collusion with foreign forces” and even called on the National Security Department to intervene in the investigation.
One month after the disbandment of the 612 Fund, the police demanded that the Fund complies with the “Production Order” and hand over fundraising details and donor information.
In addition, five trustees of the fund were arrested in May 2022 by the National Security Department on suspicion of “collusion with foreign forces;” the five, together with the fund secretary Sze Ching-wee, were charged with violating the Societies Ordinance in September. Closing arguments are completed, and a judgment is expected by the end of this month.
The arrest of five trustees of the 612 Fund has attracted international attention. Among the trustees, the identity of Joseph Zen Ze-kiun led to internal conflicts within the Catholic Church in the Vatican. After the arrest of Zen, the Diocese of Hong Kong and the Vatican only responded in a low-key manner. It is generally believed that the Vatican chose to remain silent for fear of exacerbating the tension between China and the Vatican.
The weak attitude of the Vatican has been publicly criticized by some members of the Holy See and politicians. The German Diocese Cardinal Gerhard Muller criticizes the Holy See, and the Pope for letting Zen fight alone for political reasons; former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten even pointed out that the Vatican’s attitude is like the attitude of the Holy See toward the Nazis during World War II.
The 612 Fund, a fund that assists arrested persons in dealing with legal proceedings, has its related persons being prosecuted one after another by the Hong Kong government, and they have to face the crime of “collusion with foreign forces” that may receive the sentence to life imprisonment. Commentators said that the incident has once again proven the vague definition of the charge puts these people who originally provided legal support to the public in a situation of “healing others but not able to heal themselves.”
