Vatican City (AsiaNews) The arrest of Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo "is inadmissible in a lawful state promising to guarantee freedom of religion and to respect and preserve human rights," said the Holy See's Press Office director, Joaquín Navarro-Valls, when commenting on the news of the arrest of the Chinese underground bishop.
Below is the statement's full text (translation by AsiaNews):
"We have learned from a news agency that a Catholic bishop, once detained in the past for 20 years, was arrested again yesterday by China's police forces.
Once again a member of the Catholic Church's hierarchy has been deprived of his personal freedom without (authorities) supplying any legal motive.
This is inadmissible in a lawful state promising to guarantee 'freedom of religion' and to 'respect and preserve human rights'."