Retired Catholic leader Joseph Zen, 5 others to appear before Hong Kong court over role in fund for protesters

Other defendants are singer Denise Ho, former academic Hui Po-keung, alleged fund secretary Sze Ching-wee and ex-opposition lawmakers Margaret Ng and Cyd Ho

Zen was among trustees arrested by national security police for suspected collusion with foreign forces

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The arrest of Cardinal Joseph Zen by national security police was condemned by Western governments, while the Vatican said it was monitoring developments in the case carefully. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:05pm, 23 May 2022Updated: 8:34pm, 23 May 2022

Retired Catholic leader Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and five others will appear before a Hong Kong court on Tuesday to answer charges of failing to register a now-defunct fund that provided financial assistance to protesters facing legal troubles stemming from the 2019 social unrest.

The 90-year-old former bishop, four other trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund and its secretary will stand before West Kowloon Court at 10.30am after police served them with summonses.

Officers from the police’s National Security Department earlier this month arrested Zen, singer Denise Ho Wan-sze and former Lingnan University academic Hui Po-keung, as well as ex-opposition lawmakers Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee and Cyd Ho Sau-lan, who is already in jail for her role in illegal assemblies.

(From left) Cardinal Joseph Zen, Margaret Ng, Hui Po-keung and Denise Ho attend a media briefing by the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund in August 2021. Photo: Edmond So

They were held on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces in relation to their work with the fund, but no charges were laid. While Cyd Ho remains in custody, the force on May 12 said the other four suspects had been released.

The arrest of Zen was condemned by Western governments, while the Vatican said it was monitoring developments in the case carefully.