Hong Kong security minister says failure to take enforcement action against suspect on religious grounds against Vatican’s idea of justice
- Arrest of Cardinal Joseph Zen was in accordance with the law and had nothing to do with his role in the church, says security chief Chris Tang
- Not acting in accordance with the law would go against Vatican’s principle of justice, Tang adds
Refusing to arrest a suspect because of his religion or role in the church goes against the principles of justice preached by the Vatican, Hong Kong’s security minister has said in response to criticism over the arrest of a Catholic cardinal.
National security police earlier this month arrested 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and four others over their roles in the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, drawing concern from the Vatican, which said it was following the situation with “extreme attention”. The five trustees of the fund were accused of colluding with foreign forces.
“To my understanding, the Vatican is a place to pursue justice and peace. If we did not act in accordance with the law because of one’s role in the Holy See, then I think it would actually breach the Vatican’s principle of justice,” said Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung in an exclusive interview with the Post.
“So we acted fairly on evidence and the law … We arrested the mentioned suspect based on the things he did. It had nothing to do with his role in the church.”
Tang described the criticism from foreign countries on the arrests as a “classic smearing campaign” against the city’s efforts in safeguarding national security. The United States and European Union slammed the detentions as attempts to stifle dissent, but Beijing dismissed the criticism and told the governments to end their “foolish political show”.
Tang said authorities were looking into whether the fund, set up to provide financial help to those involved in the anti-government protests of 2019, had violated the law regardless of the suspects’ background and religion.
The National Security Department has arrested 186 people and prosecuted 115 since the legislation came into force on June 30, 2020. The law bans acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with offenders facing up to life imprisonment. The courts have convicted 10 individuals and given them jail sentences as long as nine years.
