The arrest of distinguished pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong, together with 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen, is elevating considerations amongst some members of town’s Catholic neighborhood that the nationwide safety legislation (NSL) may additionally threaten non secular freedom.
Final week, Hong Kong’s nationwide safety police arrested Zen and 4 different pro-democracy figures, together with barrister Margaret Ng, singer and activist Denise Ho, tutorial Po-keung Hui and imprisoned activist Cyd Ho, for the alleged crime of “collusion with international forces.”
They have been trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Aid Fund, which offered authorized and monetary assist to 1000’s of protesters dealing with fees associated to their participation within the 2019 anti-extradition invoice protest.
Although the fund ceased operation in 2021, Hong Kong police accused the 5 of urging international governments to impose sanctions on the Chinese language particular administrative area, which is seen as an act endangering nationwide safety.
Whereas 4 of the defendants have been launched on bail, Zen’s arrest nonetheless despatched shockwaves by means of Hong Kong’s Catholic neighborhood.
“A few of us felt very indignant in regards to the arrest,” mentioned Ms. Wong, a Catholic, who requested to be recognized solely by her final title.
Different analysts describe the arrest of Zen as a sign that the NSL has been “weaponized” to crack down on a variety of non-violent public actions in Hong Kong. “It’s chilling to those that are supporting political prisoners ready for felony trials,” mentioned Eric Lai, a Hong Kong legislation fellow on the Georgetown Heart for Asian Regulation.
Hong Kong Chief Govt-elect John Lee informed a radio present host, concerning Zen’s arrest, that threats to nationwide safety must be dealt with “in accordance with the legislation.”
“In anyplace, there will probably be folks whose background means they’ve a particular sort of assist, but when their conduct entails offending the legislation, it should be dealt with in accordance with the legislation,” he mentioned.
Catholic Church defends itself
On Might 12, the Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Workplace mentioned it was extraordinarily involved about Zen’s arrest, and said that the Church has all the time upheld the rule of legislation. “We belief that sooner or later we’ll proceed having fun with non secular freedom in Hong Kong below the Primary Regulation,” the workplace mentioned in a press release.
Nonetheless, Wong says many within the Catholic neighborhood fear that the Church may grow to be extra much like church buildings in China below the NSL.
“We’ve to count on one thing just like the patriotic affiliation in China to emerge in Hong Kong too,” Wong informed DW. “They might make Catholic followers in Hong Kong register with church buildings and make those that are devoted to the Vatican or folks like Cardinal Zen should go underground.”
A number of Western nations shortly criticized the incident, with the US State Division saying that the arrests present authorities in Hong Kong will “pursue all means essential to stifle dissent and undercut protected rights and freedoms.” Chris Patten, the final governor of Hong Kong below British rule, mentioned the arrest of Zen exhibits how the Chinese language Communist Celebration is “hellbent on turning Hong Kong right into a police state.”
China’s Overseas Ministry hit again on the criticisms on Might 12, urging international governments who attempt to intervene to “instantly cease their clumsy political present stuffed with ideological biases.” The ministry additionally referred to as on different nations to “instantly cease intervening in Hong Kong and China’s affairs.”
Vatican expresses concern
In the meantime, the Vatican has expressed concern about Zen’s arrest, saying it’s following the event of the state of affairs very carefully. Nonetheless, Zen’s arrest comes at a time when a deal between the Vatican and China to nominate bishops is because of expire in October.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, mentioned on Might 13 that he was saddened by the arrest of Zen, however he hoped it would not be learn as a “disavowal” of the settlement between the Holy See and Beijing. “Essentially the most concrete hope is that initiatives resembling this one won’t complicate the already-complex and not-simple path of dialogue,” he mentioned on the sidelines of an occasion on Pope John Paul I.
Some members of Hong Kong’s Catholic neighborhood described Cardinal Parolin’s feedback as “shameful” and mentioned the Vatican should not attempt to separate Zen’s arrest from its cope with Beijing. “He’s not defending his brothers and as a substitute, he’s solely speaking about politics,” mentioned Mr. Cheung, who requested to be recognized by his final title.
A former bishop of Hong Kong, Zen has lengthy been an outspoken critic of the Chinese language Communist Celebration. He has additionally been a supporter of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy motion.Zen opposed Hong Kong’s plan to enact nationwide safety legal guidelines below Article 23 of the Primary Regulation in 2003, and he additionally took half within the Occupy Central motion in 2014.
There are about 400,000 Catholics in Hong Kong, and it stays a really politically divided neighborhood. Whereas some within the Church disagree with Zen’s stance on some delicate points, others in Hong Kong’s civil society describe him as a “principled individual” who’s well-loved by many Hong Kongers. “Cardinal Zen has been very useful to us and he has contributed to social justice in Hong Kong over time,” mentioned Wong.
Similar to Zen, some observers say the Catholic Church has been an necessary social establishment in Hong Kong for many years. “For therefore lengthy, the Catholic management has been an integral a part of Hong Kong’s civil society,” mentioned Maya Wang, the senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW).
“The Catholic Church has a really lengthy custom of working faculties in Hong Kong. Plenty of poor children are educated in Catholic establishments and so they proceed to carry respect and real love for the Catholic Church,” she added.
Can the Catholic neighborhood protect its custom?
Other than the elevated degree of dangers dealing with those that are energetic within the public sphere, a few of Hong Kong’s Catholics are additionally questioning whether or not they can proceed the decades-long custom of organizing commemorations for the victims of the Tiananmen Sq. Bloodbath on June 4, 1989.
Final week, the Monetary Instances reported that Catholic leaders in Hong Kong lately determined to cancel the commemoration, and when DW approached some members, they declined to substantiate whether or not the choice was last or not. “For the final three a long time, the Catholic Church in Hong Kong has achieved our greatest to commemorate the June 4 victims,” Wong informed DW.
“Now that the state of affairs in Hong Kong has modified, we have now to reorganize ourselves, and we will not depend upon these church buildings to prepare the mass for us. We are able to pray for the victims by ourselves and we are able to do our personal commemoration,” she added.
Others say that whereas each parish has the precise to resolve whether or not they need to maintain a June 4 commemoration or not, Zen’s arrest already permits many church buildings in Hong Kong to see the potential influence of the NSL on non secular freedom.
“I am fairly certain most Catholic church buildings in Hong Kong will now be deterred from holding any commemoration of June 4 this 12 months,” mentioned Cheung. “When even such an necessary non secular chief is not spared from the Nationwide Safety Regulation, we are able to solely ponder whether the federal government is keen to do no matter it could actually to silence all critics.”
Wang from Human Rights Watch added that it is going to be troublesome for Hong Kong to keep up its custom of commemorating June 4. “It’s a very delicate date for the Chinese language Communist Celebration, and I believe it’s extremely clear that they intend to stamp out the commemoration of the occasion altogether,” she mentioned.
Edited by: Leah Carter