Vatican says Chinese bishop arrested 'without any juridical reasons'

Published: 2004-04-07

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican said an underground bishop in China was arrested "without any juridical reasons." Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the April 5 arrest of Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding was "inadmissible in a state of law that declares it guarantees freedom of religion and respects and safeguards human rights." Navarro-Valls said in an April 7 statement, "Once again a member of the Catholic hierarchy is deprived of his personal freedom without any juridical reasons being provided." Bishop Jia was arrested at his residence by Chinese police, according to the U.S.-based Cardinal Kung Foundation. According to an April 6 statement posted on the foundation's Web site, when police were asked why they were taking the church leader away, police said they were carrying out their superior's order.

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