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A 90-year-old Catholic chief has appeared in a Hong Kong courtroom accused of breaking China’s nationwide safety legislation.
Cardinal Joseph Zen was arrested together with 5 others – together with singer Denise Ho and former opposition politicians Margaret Ng and Cyd Ho – two weeks in the past on suspicion of collusion with international forces.
The six have been trustees of the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Reduction Fund, which was arrange in 2019 to assist anti-government protesters with authorized or medical prices.
They appeared at Hong Kong’s West Kowloon courtroom on Tuesday and denied costs of failing to register the reduction fund as an organisation with police – an offence that would incur a tremendous of as much as 10,000 Hong Kong {dollars} (£1,000).
The case will now go to trial on 19 September and is predicted to final 5 days.
Police launched an investigation into the fund on nationwide safety grounds in September 2021. A month later, the fund mentioned it might cease working, citing the town’s deteriorating political surroundings.
Cardinal Zen’s arrest was condemned internationally, with the Vatican saying it was monitoring developments.
Beijing imposed the nationwide safety legislation on Hong Kong in June 2020 to clamp down on dissent.
It outlaws subversion, secession, terrorism and international collusion, and has since been used to arrest greater than 150 individuals.
Professional-democracy information retailers equivalent to Apple Each day and Stand Information have been pressured to close following nationwide safety investigations.
Electoral legal guidelines have additionally been amended to make sure solely “patriots” are allowed to manipulate, successfully stopping pro-democracy supporters from taking workplace.
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