Hong Kong activist Lau Ka-tung warned by licensing body against calling himself ‘social worker’ or ‘former social worker’
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong activist Lau Ka-tung, whose social work license was suspended, has been warned by a licensing body that describing himself as a “social worker” or “former social worker” might violate the law.
In a letter the Social Workers Registration Board sent to Lau – as seen by HKFP – the licensing body said it noticed on February 4 that Lau called himself an “independent social worker handling social movement cases” on his personal Facebook account.
The licensing body also pointed out that in a social media post, dated December 29, Lau described himself as a “former social worker.”
Lau, who was jailed over an offence linked to a protest in 2019, announced on December 29 that the Social Workers Registration Board had suspended his social work license for five years. It was the longest revocation yet under new laws aimed at protecting national security.
“Please pay attention, if a person whose name does not appear on the Register continues to use the title ‘independent social worker handling social movement cases,’ ‘former social worker,’ or any other relevant titles, the person might violate the Ordinance,” the letter read in Chinese.
According to the Social Work Registration Ordinance, a person whose name does not appear on the board’s register shall not be entitled to use the descriptions “registered social worker,” “social worker,” the initials “RSW” or “SW,” – “whether in combination with any other description or any initials to describe his profession as being the social work profession or his social work professional qualifications.”
Anyone violating the law will be fined up to HK$50,000.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Lau confirmed that had received a warning, and therefore, had put up a special announcement saying that he was no longer a social worker.
“If there are any places that [the description] has not been changed, it is truly an unintentional oversight,” Lau said in Cantonese.
On Friday, the description of Lau on his Facebook read in Chinese: “license suspended; not a social worker.”
HKFP has reached out to the Social Workers Registration Board for a response.
Lau was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a police officer during a demonstration on July 27, 2019, when the city was engulfed by protests and unrest over the proposed extradition bill.
The social worker, who was accused of hindering police officers by standing in front of a police cordon and striking an officer’s shield, was convicted in June 2020 and jailed for a year.
His sentence was reduced to eight months following a successful appeal.
National security overhaul
Last July, Hong Kong’s opposition-free legislature passed a bill giving government appointees a majority on the Social Workers Registration Board, which is in charge of vetting the qualifications of the city’s social workers.
As part of the overhaul, the ordinance now includes an expanded section on the board’s powers to disqualify a social worker convicted of an offence that “may bring the profession… into disrepute.”
The authorities said the move was needed to “better protect national security.”
Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
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