3rd September 2026 – (Hong Kong) The Court of Appeal on Thursday dismissed appeals by five former trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund against convictions for failing to register the fund as a society, leaving their HK$4,000 fines intact.
The appellants are Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, barrister Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, academic Hui Po-keung, former Legislative Councillor Cyd Ho Sau-lan and singer Denise Ho Wan-see. Each was summoned for failing to apply within the specified time for registration or exemption from registration of a society. The summonses alleged that between 16th July 2019 and 31st October 2021 they acted as office-bearers of a local society known as the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund without registering it as required under the Societies Ordinance. All five were trustees of the fund. After trial they were convicted and fined HK$4,000 each. Fund secretary Sze Ching-wee was also convicted and fined HK$2,500 but did not appeal.
The Court of Appeal heard the case late last year and handed down its judgment today rejecting the challenge. On appeal, the five argued that a society under the ordinance must have a degree of organisation. They said the 612 Fund was loosely structured, had no hierarchy, constitution or rules, and therefore fell outside the ordinance and was not subject to its registration regime.
The Department of Justice countered that the appellants jointly managed the fund and appealed for public donations, and that money received had been used to subsidise political activities. Prosecutors insisted the 612 Fund was a society within the meaning of the ordinance.
The fund was set up to support people linked to social movements and was said to have operated without society registration throughout the charged period. Zen is a Catholic emeritus cardinal and Denise Ho is a well-known Cantopop artist; Ng, Hui and Cyd Ho are longstanding public figures who served as co-trustees. Thursday’s ruling closes the trustees’ conviction appeals and affirms the finding that the ordinance applied to the fund. Sze’s fine stands unchallenged. Any further legal steps would require a fresh application beyond the Court of Appeal judgment delivered today.
