Cardinal Joseph Zen, 90, begins trial in Hong Kong on charges of foreign collusion
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A 90-year-old Roman Catholic cardinal, who was arrested earlier this year. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) begins its formal trial in Hong Kong on Monday for allegedly colluding with foreign powers by failing to register its pro-democracy charity fund with the government.
The former archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zain, was unceremoniously arrested along with four other democracy advocates for allegedly colluding with foreign forces in violation of the National Security Law enacted by the CCP in May; According to Crux.
The five were specifically accused of failing to register a now-defunct aid fund used to bail out protesters and pay the legal fees of Hong Kongers who in 2019 passed a law allowing extradition to mainland China. There was a protest against the controversial bill.
In addition to Zin, others on trial include barrister Margaret Ng, singer-activist Denise Ho, scholar Hoi Po-kyung, former lawmaker Syed Ho and activist Si Ching-wei, who has been fighting since the fund was shut down last October. Previously served as its Secretary General. All five entered not guilty pleas. Zain has been out on bail since May 11.
Cardinal Joseph Zen of the Roman Catholic Church arrives for a church service at St. Andrew’s Parish in Hong Kong on Friday, June 4, 2021.
(Chen Long He/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I want to emphasize that. Hong Kong is a society. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at the time that with the rule of law, no institution or individual is above the law and all crimes will be dealt with in accordance with the law. and interferes in his affairs.”
Frank Wolff, a former US Congressman from Virginia who serves on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), recently wrote: An op-ed for Fox News Digital In which he called the allegations against Zayn “false” and wrote that he was “deeply concerned for his safety and well-being.”
Cardinal Zen appeared in a Hong Kong court after being arrested by the Chinese Communist Party
“The Chinese government has broken its promises and is eroding the rule of law and civil liberties in Hong Kong,” Wolff wrote. “Religious freedom Even as a fundamental right will inevitably suffer. In fact, we are watching this free city before our eyes transform into an increasingly oppressive society where no one, including religious leaders and communities, who resist government oppression is safe.”
“Cardinal Zen is not only an activist for democracy in Hong Kong, but he has also been a tireless and outspoken advocate for religious freedom and human rights in China,” Wolff also said. “He is a hero and a role model to many.”
(L to R) Cardinals John Tonghoon, Cardinal Joseph Zen, Bishop Stephen Chu, Bishop Joseph Ha and Dom. Paul Gao poses for a photo at the episcopal ordination of the Most Reverend Stephen Chow at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Hong Kong on December 4, 2021.
(Bertha Wang/AFP via Getty Images)
USCIRF did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Zayn repeated Warning to the Vatican There has historically been little reaction to the CCP’s escalating crackdown on religious minorities and public figures who resist the government, prompting the cardinal to direct Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to church leaders on such matters. held responsible for keeping them in the dark.
Zinn has also criticized Pope Francis, whose South American background he blames for the Holy See’s relaxed diplomacy with China, saying the pope is not familiar with “communists in power.”
“I try to explain, remembering that Pope Francis comes from South America, where the communists are good people who work with the rich to defend the poor from the oppression of military regimes, so he sympathizes with them. Can,” Zayn said in 2020. “He has no direct experience of communists in power, oppressors of the people.”
Pope Francis meets with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and clerical workers at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan on September 15, 2022.
(Reuters/Pavel Mikheev)
According to Chinese President Xi Jinping Rejected an offer According to Reuters, the two were in Kazakhstan at the same time last week to meet Pope Francis.
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Fox News’ Timothy HJ Nerozzi contributed to this report.