China | Cardinal Zen’s cardinal sin

Hong Kong arrests a Catholic priest for siding with democrats

As in mainland China, religious freedom is in retreat in the territory

Interview with Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun at Salesian Missionary House at Chai Wan. 14MAR13 (Photo by Sam Tsang/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)

Cardinal joseph zen is no friend of the Chinese Communist Party. Since the return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997 he has been a thorn in the party’s side, criticising its human-rights record and its squeezing of the former British colony’s autonomy. On May 11th he was arrested under the new national security law. His alleged crime was raising funds for activists during the pro-democracy protests of 2019. He was released on bail shortly after.

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Cardinal Zen’s cardinal sin”

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