Hong Kong court convicts Cardinal Zen, 5 others over fund

By KANIS LEUNG
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — A 90-year-old Roman Catholic cardinal and five others in Hong Kong were fined after being found guilty of failing to register a now-defunct fund meant to help people who were arrested in the widespread protests three years ago. Cardinal Joseph Zen is a retired bishop and a vocal democracy advocate of the city. He was first arrested in May on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law. At that time, his arrest sent shockwaves through the Catholic community. Principal Magistrate Ada Yim ruled that the fund is considered an organization, not purely for charity purposes. That means it’s obliged to register, and all six were convicted Friday. Their fines range from about $300-$500.