Hong Kong

Hong Kong's Cardinal Joseph Zen (90), a staunch supporter of democratic rights and cric of Chinese Communist Party has been accused by the government of using his charity fund for pro-democracy protestors as a front for "political activities". In addition to Cardinal Zen, five others have also been accused.

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The six, including Cardinal Zen, barrister Margaret Ng, scholar Hui Po Keung, politician Cyd Ho, and singer Denise Ho, were trustees of the "612 Humanitarian Relief Fund" that helped protesters arrested during pro-democracy, anti-China protests in 2019 pay their legal and medical fees.

In May, they were arrested under Hong Kong's National Security Law. The law has been criticised as being tool in the hands of city administration to prosecute and silence any pro-democracy voices.

Cardinal Zen and others were later charged with lesser offence of failing to register their fund as a society under laws.

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At the opening of the trial, prosecutor Anthony Chau said the fund had been used for "political activities", including sponsoring surveys and activities related to mass protests.

"The goal of the fund was to raise the political demands of the anti-extradition bill protests to the international level," Chau told the court.

Prosecutors added that the fund raised around HK$270 million ($34 million) from 103,000 public donations, and was partly used to sponsor political, non-charity events

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(With inputs from agencies)

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