China: Bishop of Xinxiang Turns One Year in Prison Without Formal Charges

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On May 21, 2021, the bishop was arrested in a large police operation. According to Human Rights observers, Chinese authorities ignore their law prohibiting holding a person without charge for more than three months.

 

Newsroom (24/05/2022 20:12, Gaudium Press) Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu of Xinxiang (Henan) completes one year in detention without any formal charges. According to the Chinese communist Party, he committed an unforgivable “sin”: the Bishop of Xinxiang did not join the Chinese Patriotic Church. Following his example, several of his priests did the same.

On May 21, 2021, the bishop was arrested in a large police operation, including 100 policemen from Cangzhou, Hejian and Shaheqiao. The prelate had just undergone cancer surgery.

Besides Bp. Weizhu, some seminarians were also detained and then allowed to return to their homes but forbidden to resume their theological studies. The released priests have undergone some “political sessions.” According to Human Rights observers, Chinese authorities ignore their law prohibiting holding a person without charge for more than three months.

The bishop was unable to go home during the Lunar New Year. Only two members of his family were able to visit him for a few minutes in the presence of an official. The faithful express concern for his physical and mental health.

According to the most recent Regulations on Religious Activities, rites and schools, including theological schools, are only allowed in places registered and controlled by the government; ‘religious’ can only exercise their functions if they join the ‘independent’ Church and submit to the Communist Party.

So far, there is no known statement from the Vatican about this arbitrary detention. The renewal of the Sino-Vatican agreement is pending for October, which, although unknown, receives numerous criticisms – among other reasons – for not preventing this kind of abuse.

With Infocatolica information.

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