Hong Kong authorities are seeking to remove at least five opposition groups from the official societies register, including the now-defunct Scholarism founded by jailed activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung and political party People Power.
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The groups have three months to submit proof that they are still functioning or else their operations will be banned.
According to notices published by the Government Gazette on Friday, 285 community groups and organisations are facing the risk of deregistration.
The five former pan-democrat groups include Scholarism and People Power. Lesser-known groups include Kowloon City Matters, Tin Shui Wai New Force, and Sha Tin Community Network.
The notice, signed by an assistant societies officer, read: “I have reason to believe that the undermentioned societies have ceased to exist. In exercise of the powers conferred on me by [the Societies Ordinance], I hereby publish this notification [of intention to remove a notified society].
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“Unless the undermentioned societies furnish me with proof of the existence of the societies within three months from the date of this notification, [they] shall be removed from the list of societies kept under [the ordinance].”
In Hong Kong, most political groups or community organisations register either as a society under the Societies Ordinance, or as a limited company under the Companies Ordinance.