### Societies Ordinance 《社團條例》

8. Prohibition of operation of societies
(1) The Societies Officer may recommend to the Secretary for Security to make an order prohibiting the operation or continued operation of a society or a branch if the Societies Officer reasonably believes that the prohibition of the operation or continued operation of the society or the branch is necessary in the interests of public safety, public order or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. (Replaced 118 of 1997 s. 5. Amended 6 of 2024 s. 137)
(2) On the recommendation by the Societies Officer under subsection (1), the Secretary for Security may by order published in the Gazette prohibit the operation or continued operation of the society or the branch in Hong Kong.
(3) The Secretary for Security shall not make an order under subsection (2) without first affording the society or the branch an opportunity to be heard or to make representations in writing as the society or the branch thinks fit as to why such an order should not be made.
(4) Subsection (3) shall not apply where the Secretary for Security reasonably believes that affording the society or the branch an opportunity to be heard or to make representations in writing would not be practicable in the circumstances of that case.
(5) An order made under subsection (2) shall as soon as practicable be—
(a) served on the society or the branch;
(b) (where the society or the branch occupies or uses any building or premises) affixed in a conspicuous manner on any building or premises occupied or used as a place of meeting by the society or the branch and at the nearest police station of the police district in which such building or premises are situated; and
(c) published in the Gazette.
(6) An order made under subsection (2) shall take effect on publication in the Gazette or, if the order specifies a subsequent date for its taking effect, shall take effect on that specified date, notwithstanding that an appeal has been or may be made against the order under subsection (7).
(7) A society or a branch in relation to which an order is made under this section and any office-bearer or member of the society or the branch who is aggrieved by an order of the Secretary for Security made under this section may appeal to the Chief Executive in Council against the making of the order within 30 days after the order takes effect and the Chief Executive in Council may confirm, vary or revoke the order. (Amended 13 of 1999 s. 3)
(Replaced 75 of 1992 s. 5. Amended 118 of 1997 s. 5)

### Societies Ordinance 《社團條例》

9. Restrictions on names of societies
(1) No local society shall use a name for itself or its branch which— (Amended 118 of 1997 s. 6) 
(a) is identical with that by which a society already in existence is known or so closely resembles that name; 
(b) is likely to mislead the public as to the true character or purpose of the society; 
(c) suggests that the society belongs to a class of persons specified in the Schedule when in fact it does not so belong; or 
(d) contains the words “rural committee” or any other words which, in the opinion of the Societies Officer, suggest or are calculated to suggest that the society is a rural committee or a federation or other association of rural committees unless such society is a rural committee or a federation or other association of rural committees acknowledged as such by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs. (Amended L.N. 144 of 2022)
(2) The Societies Officer may serve a notice on a society which has adopted a name not permitted under subsection (1) requiring the society to change its name within such time as may be specified in the notice. 
(3) The obligation imposed upon a society under subsection (2) shall be binding upon every office-bearer of the society but any such office-bearer shall not be so bound unless he has been served with a copy of the notice. 
(4) Where a society fails to comply with a notice served under subsection (2), every office-bearer who has been served with a copy of the notice shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine at level 3 unless he establishes to the satisfaction of the court that he has exercised due diligence to ensure compliance with the notice by the society and that such failure has occurred for reasons beyond his control. (Amended E.R. 3 of 2021)
(5) A society which has been served with a notice under subsection (2) and any office-bearer or member thereof who is aggrieved by a requirement of the Societies Officer under subsection (2) may appeal to the Secretary for Security and on any such appeal the Secretary for Security may confirm, vary or cancel the requirement. 
(6) An appeal under subsection (5) may be made within 30 days after the date when the notice setting out the requirement was served on the society. 
(7) A requirement under this section shall take effect when the notice setting the requirement is served on the society notwithstanding any appeal under subsection (5). 
(Replaced 75 of 1992 s. 5)

### Societies Ordinance 《社團條例》

10. Changes of particulars of a society
(1) Where a society or its branch which has been registered or exempted from registration changes its name, objects, office-bearers or principal place of business or closes a branch which is registered or exempted from registration, the society shall within 1 month from such change, inform the Societies Officer in writing of such change. (Amended 118 of 1997 s. 7) 
(2) Where a society fails to notify the Societies Officer of a change of particulars as required under subsection (1), every office-bearer of the society shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine at level 3 unless he establishes to the satisfaction of the court that he has exercised due diligence to ensure compliance with this section by the society and that such failure has occurred for reasons beyond his control. (Amended E.R. 3 of 2021)
(Replaced 75 of 1992 s. 5)

11. List of societies
(1) Subject to section 14A, the Societies Officer shall keep a list of all societies and branches which have been registered or exempted from registration setting out—
(a) the names of the societies and the branches; and 
(b) the respective addresses of the principal places of business of the societies and the branches and the places or premises owned or occupied by the societies. (Amended 118 of 1997 s. 8) 
(2) The list kept by the Societies Officer under subsection (1) shall be open to inspection by any person free of charge during office hours at the Societies Office. 
(3) The list kept under this section may be kept in a form other than documentary form but where it is kept in such a form, it shall be capable of being retrieved in a documentary form. 
(Replaced 75 of 1992 s. 5)

12. Requests for information and documents
(1) The Societies Officer may, on a request in writing by any person and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed, provide such information or document or extract thereof of or in respect of a society as are received by him under section 5(1) and (2) in respect of the society concerned. 
(2) Any person may, on payment of such fee as may be prescribed, require a copy or extract of any document or part of document provided under subsection (1) to be certified by the Societies Officer as a true copy. 
(Replaced 75 of 1992 s. 5)