Civil Human Rights Front won't be spared despite disbandment: police

Police said the Civil Human Rights Front and its members remain criminally liable for offenses committed despite disbandment or resignations.

The front has announced its immediate disbandment today, spelling an end to the 19-year-old alliance which organized Hong Kong's annual July 1 protest and other important rallies – including the anti-extradition bill protest which drew some 2 million people to the streets in June 2019.

However, the alliance has been under investigation for breaching the Societies Ordinance for failing to register with the the Companies Registry as a company, nor registered with Police Licensing Office as a legal society.
“As such, Civil Human Rights Front has been operating illegally,” the police said.

Back in May, police asked the front's convener Figo Chan Ho-wun to provide answers in six major aspects --- including the protests it organized and the bank accounts it used – for its probe of the protest organizer being an illegal society.

But Chan said the front won't fully cooperate with the police. Since then, Chan was sentenced to 18-month imprisonment for organizing an unauthorized protest on October 1, 2019.

“Civil Human Rights Front failed to submit the requested information to the Societies Officer within the designated period of time. Police is actively taking follow-up action on the front's violation of the Societies Ordinance,” the police said.

“Police reiterated that an organisation and its members remain criminally liable for the offence committed, regardless of the disbandment of the organisation or the resignation of its members.”

State media Xinhua emphasized that disbandment does not equal to pleading guilty. Nor can people from the alliance escape legal liability. 

"There is rule of law in Hong Kong. The relevant government departments will carry out their responsibilities to eradicate the evil," it stated.