HONG KONG (SE): Bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun, 90, was released on bail after being arrested on Wednesday, May 11, by national security police.
The Social Communications Office of the Diocese of Hong Kong issued a statement on May 12, expressing the diocese’s concern about the incident. “The Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is extremely concerned about the condition and safety of Cardinal Joseph Zen, and we are offering our special prayers for him,” the statement said.
The statement called on the government to uphold religious freedom in the city and said, “We have always upheld the rule of law. We trust that in the future we will continue enjoying religious freedom in Hong Kong under the Basic Law.”
The statement further urged “the Hong Kong Police and the judicial authorities to handle Cardinal Zen’s case in accordance with justice, taking into consideration our concrete human situation.”
Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ, wrote on his Facebook page: “I have spoken with Cardinal Zen. He told me to let his friends know that he is fine. Not to worry. And he wants us to take a low profile approach for him.” Ever since the news broke on May 11, Catholics in Hong Kong have called for prayers for the cardinal and the others while netizens flooded social media platforms expressing their solidarity.
Cardinal Zen was arrested along with former opposition lawmaker, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, and singer-activist, Denise Ho Wan-sze, on charges of allegedly colluding with foreign powers concerning the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which aided protesters during the 2019 anti-extradition unrest, local media reported.
A source said that a fourth person, the former adjunct associate professor, Hui Po Keung, was also arrested by national security police on Tuesday, May 10, as he was about to board a flight to Germany.
Responding to the developments in Hong Kong, the Vatican spokesperson, Matteo Bruni, told journalists, “The Holy See has learned with concern the news of the arrest of Cardinal Zen and is following with extreme attention to the development of the situation.”
Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, was asked by journalists if the current development would jeopardise the agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China on appointment of bishops in China. He expressed his concerns saying he was “very saddened” by the arrest of Cardinal Zen. “I would like to express my closeness to the cardinal, who was freed and treated well.”
Cardinal Parolin further added that the event should not be read as “a disavowal” of the agreement. “The most concrete hope is that initiatives such as this one will not complicate the already complex and not simple path of dialogue,” he said.
The European Union and the US State Department have also condemned the arrests. After the pro-democracy demonstrations, scores of pro-democracy activists were arrested under the National Security Law implemented in the city in 2020.
Father Gianni Criveller, an Italian PIME missionary who worked with Cardinal Zen for a long time in Hong Kong, wrote in AsiaNews, “Can one arrest a 90-year-old man whom millions of people around the world look up to and respect?” While expressing “relief” that the cardinal was released on bail and not imprisoned, Father Criveller said that “the unbearable gravity of the arrest remains.”
The now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund was established on 15 June 2019, and, according to its website, “aims to provide humanitarian and relevant financial support to persons who are injured, arrested, attacked, or threatened with violence” during pro-democracy protests. The website states that the fund “primarily provide[s] legal, medical, psychological and emergency financial assistance.”
The Chinese language Mingpo newspaper reported on May 13 that, according to the police, some lawyers and barristers offered pro bono services for cases related to protests in 2019, but are alleged to have received fees from the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. The report said these complaints would be handled by the Hong Kong Bar Association basing on standard procedures.
According to a report on RTHK, Beijing expressed strong dissatisfaction with criticism made by western countries about arrests. Quoting a statement from the Commissioner’s Office of the Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong, RTHK reported that “the US State Department, US Congress, EU foreign policy chief, Canada’s foreign affairs minister and some other foreign politicians had made baseless accusations against Hong Kong police who took appropriate action against people connected to the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund.”
When asked to comment on the issue at a press meeting on May 17, chief executive ,Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-Ngor, said that any arrests in Hong Kong are made on legal grounds regardless of one’s status or backgrounds, reported RTHK.
Cardinal Zen was appointed a coadjutor bishop of Hong Kong in September 1996 by Pope St. John Paul II. He served as the bishop of the diocese from September 2002 to April 2009. Pope Benedict XVI made him a cardinal in March 2006.
