Hong Kong Police Arrest Individuals Involved in 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund

11-08-2023

Paloma Pérez Maroto

East and South Asia Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

On the 10th of August 2023, Hong Kong National Security Department detained ten individuals involved in the now defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. They were arrested for allegedly breaching Article 29 of the National Security Law (NSL), when cooperating with foreign organizations to aid individuals imprisoned in the 2019 pro-democracy protests, while undermining national security and instigating riots (Hong Kong Government, 2023).

On the 15th of June 2019, the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund was established to provide legal services, medical treatment, psychological therapy, and financial assistance to thousands of protestors. The Fund was set to finish in August 2021, when the Alliance for True Democracy Limited, which collected the funds, was no longer in operation (612 Humanitarian Fund/612人道支援基金, n.d.). In November 2022, the trustees and secretary of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund were found guilty of failing to register the fund (Goodman, 2022), as well as detained for alleged cooperation with foreign forces in violation of the NSL (Wear, 2023).

The new detainees are now being held accountable for allegedly plotting to accept funds from international charities to help individuals involved in the 2019 pro-democracy protests who fled Hong Kong. On the one hand, conspiracy to cooperate with foreign nations or organizations to damage national security is a severe offense under the NSL and carries a potential penalty of life imprisonment (Lo & Cheung, 2023). The London-based rights organization Hong Kong Watch, on the other hand, believes that the recent arrests contribute to the decline of Hong Kong's rights and freedoms. They believe that these arrests for riots and support for international cooperation are the result of an excessively political interpretation of the law, particularly the NSL, which criminalizes legal and humanitarian aid (Wear, 2023).

Sources and further reading:

612 Humanitarian Fund / 612人道支援基金. (n.d.). 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. Retrieved 10, August 2023, from https://612fund.hk/en/home

Goodman, S. (2022, November 25). Hong Kong Watch condemns the trial and conviction of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund trustees and Secretary. Hong Kong Watch. Retrieved 10, August 2023, from https://www.hongkongwatch.org/all-posts/2022/11/25/hong-kong-watch-condemns-the-trial-and-conviction-of-the-612-humanitarian-relief-fund-trustees-and-secretary

Honk Kong Government (2023, August 10). Police National Security Department arrests four men and six women. Police National Security Hong Kong. Retrieved 11, August 2023, from https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202308/10/P2023081000495.htm

Lo, C., & Cheung, E. (2023, August 10). Hong Kong national security police arrest 10 linked to now-defunct legal fund for anti-government protesters. South China Morning Post. Retrieved 10, August 2023, from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3230614/hong-kong-national-security-police-arrest-10-linked-now-defunct-legal-fund-2019-anti-government

Wear, A. (2023, August 10). Hong Kong Watch Condemns Arrest of 10 individuals linked to the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. Hong Kong Watch. Retrieved 11, August 2023, from https://www.hongkongwatch.org/all-posts/2023/8/10/hong-kong-watch-condemns-arrest-of-10-individuals-linked-to-the-612-humanitarian-relief-fund