Cardinal Zen arrested in Hong Kong, wrath of the Vatican

Cardinal Joseph Zen, 90, was arrested by Hong Kong police on heavy charges of "collusion with foreign forces", one of the four types of crimes covered by the highly contested national security law imposed by Beijing on the former colony in June. 2020 which also provides for life imprisonment.

Only late in the evening did the release on bail arrive.

The final assault on the latest pro-democracy charismatic figure, the main one for influence and moral rigor, began in recent months when Ta Kung Pao, a Chinese-language newspaper sponsored by the Chinese Communist Party, published four articles taking targeting Zen and the whole Church of Hong Kong.

The accusations were that he had long abused his status as a high prelate to ally "with pro-independence elements"

such as Jimmy Lai, the founding tycoon of the Apple Daily tabloid, and Martin Lee, "for engaging in anti-Chinese activities."

The media mogul, 73, and Lee, 84, a former Hong Kong MP, both Catholics, were arrested and jailed last year for participating in unauthorized demonstrations related to the mass protests in 2019, as well as for the violation of the National Security Act.

Zen, a Salesian, was bishop of Hong Kong from 2002 to 2009, with his appointment as cardinal in 2006. Widely known for his social activism and his defense of social movements, he publicly supported democratic values ​​until the introduction of the law on safety.

He has long been a target of the CCP for his staunch opposition to party policies and the crackdown on human rights and religious freedom in China, which resulted in the forced demolition of churches and crosses in various parts of the country from 2014 to 2016. he also held memorials to the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, when the People's Liberation Army was sent to crack down on student protests in favor of reform and democracy.

The high prelate had harshly criticized the Vatican policies and the negotiations with the Communist leadership on the provisional agreement for the joint appointment of bishops in China because "disrespectful", he explained amid controversy, towards the millions of faithful who at the cost of their lives they continued to cultivate the faith,

challenging the repression and harassment of the authorities.

"The Holy See has learned with concern the news of the arrest of Cardinal Zen and is following the evolution of the situation with extreme attention", commented the director of the Vatican press office Matteo Bruni.

While the White House also took the field to demand the immediate release of the high prelate.

Zen was arrested along with former opposition MP Margaret Ng and singer-activist Denise Ho, who were also released on bail.

The three, according to the South China Morning Post, were administrators of the '612 Humanitarian Relief Fund', which helped arrested protesters pay legal and medical bills during the 2019 protests:

It was dissolved in October 2021 after the National Security Police demanded the delivery of operational details, including information on its donors and beneficiaries.

A fourth trustee, former professor Hui Po Keung, was arrested on Tuesday as he was about to take a direct flight to Germany to take up an important academic post.

A fifth, Cyd Ho Sau-lan, is in prison for his role in the "illegal" demonstrations of 2019. The repression of the last pockets of democratic resistance in Hong Kong proceeds unstoppable and the inauguration of John Lee - the policeman from July 1st responsible for the repression of 2019 - to the office of governor is a clear signal of Beijing's will.

Even hitting where no one had ever dared until now: the Church of Rome.