WALL-FARE

WALL-FARE, also known by its Chinese name 石牆花, was a Hong Kong prisoners' rights advocacy group established by former Legislative Council member and social worker Shiu Ka-chun in the aftermath of the 2019 pro-democracy protests. Its work focused on supporting people detained or imprisoned in connection with the protests, assisting their families, and drawing public attention to the treatment of inmates in Hong Kong correctional facilities. The organization grew out of an advocacy platform Shiu began developing in mid-2020. Shiu had himself been imprisoned for his involvement in the Umbrella Movement and was released in October 2019. Based on his experience and his view that prisoners' rights and welfare were inadequately protected, he sought to create an organization that could combine direct assistance with broader prison-reform advocacy. He also considered employing released prisoners and operating the initiative as a social enterprise. WALL-FARE began operating in December 2020 after overcoming practical difficulties, including limited donations and a lengthy process for opening a bank account. Its Lai Chi Kok office was located near the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre, making it accessible to families visiting detainees. The premises stored necessities permitted under Correctional Services Department rules, provided meeting space, and maintained a library containing books for people held in custody. The group offered families of detained protesters and activists access to designated prison necessities without charge. It also organized letter-writing and holiday-card schemes so members of the public could maintain emotional contact with prisoners. WALL-FARE reported handling more than 6,000 letters during 2020 and used symbolic initiatives, including delivering flowers to inmates around Valentine's Day, to express solidarity across prison barriers. In addition, it followed individual cases and helped arrestees apply for welfare support. Its work increasingly combined service delivery with public advocacy. WALL-FARE criticized prison food and other conditions, called for changes to correctional administration, and sought improved cooling arrangements during a severe summer heatwave in 2021. A petition organized by the group reportedly gathered more than 100,000 signatures in 33 hours. The Correctional Services Department subsequently described measures intended to improve conditions, although disagreements continued over the adequacy and speed of those changes. The political environment made the organization's fundraising and operations increasingly difficult. After another prisoner-support organization faced allegations of money laundering and a frozen bank account, WALL-FARE said it had stopped accepting public donations. It attempted to raise funds through the sale of Justice Coffee, allowing customers to determine the price, while reporting financial pressure caused by supporting more than 100 inmates each month. WALL-FARE faced increasingly direct criticism from pro-government groups and Hong Kong officials. Government figures and correctional authorities accused it of making exaggerated or defamatory claims about prison conditions and of creating inappropriate influence among prisoners. Security officials also linked prisoner-support activities to alleged national-security risks, a characterization Shiu rejected. He maintained that the items supplied by WALL-FARE were authorized, that its assistance was humanitarian, and that it had no intention of controlling prison supply channels or recruiting political supporters. On 14 September 2021, Shiu announced that WALL-FARE was disbanding with immediate effect and would stop fundraising for prisoner provisions. He cited sustained pressure, concerns for staff safety, and an event shortly beforehand that the organization could not publicly disclose. The eight staff members reportedly agreed unanimously to end the group. The closure concluded roughly nine months of formal operations. Although officials said the decision was voluntary, families of detained protesters and activists described the shutdown as a significant loss, while smaller organizations attempted to fill the resulting support gap.

WALL-FARE emerged from Hong Kong's post-2019 protest environment, when large numbers of protesters and activists were arrested and detained. Its founder, social worker and former Legislative Council member Shiu Ka-chun, had personal experience of imprisonment after being convicted for participation in the Umbrella Movement. After his release in October 2019, he became increasingly focused on prison governance, the treatment of inmates, and support for detainees' families. Shiu established a preliminary advocacy platform in mid-2020. The initial concept combined practical assistance with a longer-term ambition to reform penal services and potentially create employment for released prisoners through a social-enterprise model. The organization faced immediate operational obstacles, including low donations and delays in establishing a bank account. Once the account was available, WALL-FARE began formal work in December 2020. Its office was placed near the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre because of the location's convenience for families visiting inmates. The office functioned as a welfare and communications hub. Families could register to collect necessities permitted by the Correctional Services Department, while the group maintained meeting areas and a library for prisoners. WALL-FARE also organized public letter-writing and holiday-card schemes intended to reduce the isolation of people in custody. It reported processing more than 6,000 letters during 2020 and arranged symbolic gestures such as Valentine's Day flower deliveries. The organization provided case follow-up and assistance with welfare applications, while also publicizing perceived deficiencies in prison administration. In early 2021, it criticized the quality and preparation of meals at Stanley Prison and alleged that officials were trying to restrict prisoners' receipt of food obtained through other channels. Security Secretary John Lee condemned the criticism, and the Commissioner of Correctional Services separately accused the group of portraying the penal service unfairly. WALL-FARE said that raising complaints was part of its normal advocacy role and denied abusing complaint procedures. Financial pressure intensified after a separate prisoner-support organization faced allegations of money laundering and a frozen bank account. WALL-FARE said it stopped accepting public donations to avoid similar complications and experimented with Justice Coffee sales using a pay-what-you-want model. It nevertheless reported difficulty meeting the needs of more than 100 inmates each month. The group became particularly visible during the 2021 summer heatwave. It petitioned for better cooling arrangements for prisoners, attracting more than 100,000 signatures in a short period. The Correctional Services Department responded by describing measures to improve conditions. Shiu acknowledged the department's willingness to introduce measures, while continuing to argue that feasible public suggestions should be implemented more quickly. The political dispute escalated in September 2021. Following a protest by female detainees at Lo Wu Correctional Institution, Security Secretary Chris Tang discussed alleged efforts to create influence inside prisons and referred to prisoner-support organizations as potential sources of national-security risks. Shiu rejected the implication that ordinary donated goods, including chocolates and hair clips, were smuggled or politically instrumentalized. He said WALL-FARE supplied authorized items freely and had no motive to monopolize prison provisions. He later indicated that the group would reduce public appeals for donations to avoid further misunderstanding. On 14 September 2021, approximately nine months after beginning formal operations, Shiu announced that WALL-FARE was closing immediately. He said pressure had existed since the organization's creation and that staff safety had become a priority after an event on 12 September that could not be disclosed. The organization's eight staff members reportedly agreed unanimously to end its activities. Chris Tang said the group had made its own decision, but the closure nonetheless reflected the increasingly constrained environment for Hong Kong civil-society organizations supporting political detainees. Families lost a substantial source of assistance, although smaller organizations continued parts of the work.

• 2021

  Cooling-measures petition gains broad support

  [1]Wall-fareen.wikipedia.org

  A petition seeking better prison cooling during a heatwave reportedly exceeded 100,000 signatures within 33 hours.

• 2021

  Organization dissolves

  [1]Wall-fareen.wikipedia.org

  WALL-FARE announced its immediate closure on 14 September and ended its prisoner-provisions fundraising scheme.

• 2020

  Predecessor platform is established

  [1]Wall-fareen.wikipedia.org

  Shiu began developing a platform to raise awareness of detainee welfare and prison conditions.

• 2020

  Formal operations begin

  [1]Wall-fareen.wikipedia.org

  WALL-FARE began operating in December from an office near Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre.

• 2019

  Shiu is released from prison

  [1]Wall-fareen.wikipedia.org

  Shiu was released in October after serving a sentence connected with his involvement in the Umbrella Movement.

• 2016

  Shiu Ka-chun elected to the Legislative Council

  [1]Wall-fareen.wikipedia.org

  Social worker Shiu Ka-chun was elected as a Hong Kong legislator, later becoming the founder of WALL-FARE.

A Hong Kong civil-society and prisoner-support initiative combining direct welfare assistance for detainees and their families with public advocacy for prison reform and improved inmate treatment.

• Prisoner welfare · 2020

  Prison necessities assistance

  WALL-FARE helped registered families obtain necessities permitted under Correctional Services Department rules and distribute them to detained protesters and activists without charge. The service was designed to address practical needs created by imprisonment and to provide families with a stable point of contact near Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre.

• Emotional support · 2020

  Letter-writing and holiday-card scheme

  The group coordinated correspondence between members of the public and people in custody. Letters and seasonal cards were intended to reduce isolation and maintain personal and community contact across prison barriers. WALL-FARE reported handling more than 6,000 letters during 2020.

• Fundraising · 2021

  Justice Coffee

  After WALL-FARE stopped receiving public donations amid concerns surrounding frozen accounts affecting another support group, it used Justice Coffee as an alternative fundraising mechanism. The coffee was sold on a free-price or pay-what-you-want basis, with proceeds intended to help fund prisoner necessities and related assistance.

• 2021

  Dispute over prison-food criticism

  WALL-FARE criticized meals at Stanley Prison and alleged pressure on inmates regarding food arrangements. Security officials and correctional authorities accused the organization of making absurd or defamatory claims, while WALL-FARE defended its right to raise welfare complaints.

  Source

• 2021

  National-security accusations and closure

  Government criticism intensified after officials associated prisoner-support activities with possible national-security risks and alleged efforts to create influence inside prisons. Shiu denied the allegations and said the organization supplied authorized humanitarian items. WALL-FARE announced its dissolution shortly afterward, citing pressure and staff-safety concerns.

  Source

Read more

• 2021Prison cooling petition

  Hong Kong

  During a record summer heatwave, WALL-FARE called on correctional authorities to introduce better cooling arrangements for detainees.

  Outcome. The petition reportedly collected over 100,000 signatures in 33 hours. The Correctional Services Department later described measures intended to improve conditions.

  Source
• 2021Justice Coffee fundraising

  Hong Kong

  The group used pay-what-you-want coffee sales to raise funds after it stopped accepting public donations.

  Outcome. The initiative operated while WALL-FARE reported financial difficulties supporting more than 100 inmates each month.

  Source
• 2020Public correspondence campaign

  Hong Kong

  WALL-FARE organized letters and holiday cards for detained protesters and activists, combining public participation with emotional support for prisoners.

  Outcome. The organization reported handling more than 6,000 letters during 2020.

  Source

• 2021

  Shift from public donations to Justice Coffee fundraisingStrategy

  Background

  WALL-FARE said it faced fundraising constraints after another prisoner-support organization encountered allegations of money laundering and a frozen bank account.

  Action taken

  The group stopped receiving public donations and used pay-what-you-want Justice Coffee sales as an alternative source of operating funds.

  Aftermath

  The organization continued reporting financial pressure while supporting more than 100 inmates each month.

  Source

• 2021

  Dissolve the organizationOther

  Background

  After sustained criticism and national-security-related accusations, WALL-FARE assessed that continuing operations could place staff at risk.

  Action taken

  Shiu announced on 14 September that the group would close immediately and stop raising funds for prisoner provisions.

  Aftermath

  Families of detained protesters and activists lost a major support channel, while smaller organizations attempted to cover parts of the gap.

  Source

• 2020

  Establish a direct-support and advocacy modelStrategy

  Background

  The rising number of detainees after the 2019 protests created demand for family assistance, prison necessities, and public advocacy concerning inmate treatment.

  Action taken

  Shiu developed WALL-FARE as a group combining direct welfare support, correspondence coordination, individual case assistance, and prison-reform advocacy.

  Aftermath

  The model led to formal operations in December 2020 and made the organization a visible participant in Hong Kong's prisoner-rights debate.

  Source

1. 1Wall-fareen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WALL-FARE official websitewallfarehk.com