Donations to Hong Kong activist groups, opposition scrutinised as police freeze bank accounts, allege money-laundering activities

Cases involving ex-lawmaker Ted Hui, church are the latest to raise questions about crowdfunding

Police must probe suspicions of wrongdoing, but lawyers say frozen assets are locked up a long time

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Activist Lee Cheuk-yan (centre) says supporters of the alliance he leads now prefer the anonymity of donating in cash. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:00am, 14 Dec 2020Updated: 10:28am, 14 Dec 2020

Veteran activist Lee Cheuk-yan used to receive donations regularly via bank transfers for his group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.

Recently, however, supporters have been handing him cash.

“They don’t want to leave any record,” said Lee, whose group is best known for organising the annual June 4 candlelight vigil in Victoria Park to remember Beijing’s Tiananmen Square crackdown of 1989.

Donations to activist organisations, opposition parties and those supporting anti-government protesters have come into the spotlight, following recent cases in which police cited money-laundering laws in targeting individuals and groups.

The cases have raised questions about whether crowdfunding is still allowed for opposition parties and groups that support anti-government activities, especially in light of the national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in June.

The first case arose a year ago, when police arrested four men and froze HK$70 million raised by Spark Alliance, a group that supported Hong Kong anti-government protesters.