Hong Kong court upholds Cardinal Zen's conviction

Hong Kong’s High Court on Thursday rejected appeals by 94‑year‑old Cardinal Joseph Zen and four others, keeping their convictions for running an unregistered fund that helped families of protesters arrested during the 2019 anti‑government demonstrations.

The fund, called the “Pro‑Democracy Protester Relief Fund,” was set up in 2020 to provide legal aid, medical supplies and financial support to people who were detained during the mass protests that began in March 2019. Under Hong Kong law, any organization that raises money for charitable purposes must register with the government’s Registrar of Societies. The defendants were charged with “unregistered charitable organization” and “failure to register a charity.” The case highlighted a broader crackdown on civil‑society groups that the authorities say have “political motives” or that “encourage dissent.” Zen, a former Jesuit priest and outspoken critic of Beijing’s influence, became the first senior Catholic figure to be jailed for such an act.

The court said the defendants had not complied with the registration requirement and that the law was clear that all charities must be registered, regardless of their political leanings. The judge also noted that the fund had raised more than HK$1 million and had provided aid to dozens of families. The appeal was dismissed in a 3‑to‑1 decision. The Catholic Church in Hong Kong expressed “deep concern” over the ruling, while pro‑democracy activists called it a “political move to silence dissent.” The government said the decision upheld the rule of law and that no one is above the law.

If the defendants pursue a further appeal to the Court of Final Appeal, they face a steep legal hurdle. The case underscores the tightening of Hong Kong’s civil‑society space and the increasing use of the legal system to target pro‑democracy activists. It also raises questions about the future of charitable groups that support political causes in a city where the government’s reach over civil society has expanded dramatically in recent years.