U.S.-based foundation says priests arrested, released in China

Published: 2005-05-04

STAMFORD, Conn. (CNS) -- Seven underground Chinese priests of the Zhengding Diocese were arrested April 27 and released the following day, a U.S.-based advocacy group said. The priests were detained while traveling to a retreat led by a recently released underground bishop, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. The arrests were made in the city of Jinzhou by police and officers of China's religious bureau, reported the Stamford, Conn.-based Cardinal Kung Foundation. The retreat was led by Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding, who had been under 24-hour police surveillance from about March 30 to April 25. Bishop Jia was warned by Chinese officials not to initiate any religious activities after the surveillance was lifted, the foundation said in an April 27 statement.

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