III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 821 

Condemning the arrest of Cardinal Zen in Hong Kong, and reaffirming 

the commitment of the Senate to supporting democracy, autonomy, religious freedom, and human rights in Hong Kong. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 

Mr. CRAMER (for himself, Mr. KING, Mr. RISCH, and Mr. PADILLA) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the arrest of Cardinal Zen in Hong Kong, and 

reaffirming the commitment of the Senate to supporting 

democracy, autonomy, religious freedom, and human 

rights in Hong Kong. 

Whereas, in May 2022, Hong Kong authorities arrested Cardinal Zen, a 90-year-old bishop emeritus of Hong Kong 

and outspoken critic of China’s ruling Communist Party, 

on spurious charges, accusing him and four others of violating China’s national security by ‘‘colluding with foreign forces,’’ as well as for allegedly failing to register a 

fund established to assist people arrested in the mass 

anti-government protests that began in 2019; 

Whereas China imposed a so-called ‘‘national security law’’ in 

2020, effectively crushing Hong Kong’s opposition moveVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:57 Sep 30, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR821.IS SR821

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•SRES 821 IS 

ment, overhauling its electoral system to provide Beijing 

with even more control, silencing free media, and crippling its once-vibrant civil society; 

Whereas hundreds of protestors, activists, and former opposition lawmakers have been arrested since the ‘‘national security law’’ came into force; 

Whereas Hong Kong is devolving into an increasingly repressive society where no one resisting government tyranny is 

safe, including religious leaders and communities; 

Whereas, in 2022, the United Kingdom announced that two 

of its Supreme Court judges would no longer sit on Hong 

Kong’s top court, as the threat to civil liberties and lack 

of judicial independence had made their role untenable; 

Whereas Cardinal Zen and five prominent pro-democracy 

campaigners have pleaded not guilty in court in Hong 

Kong for failing to properly register a humanitarian fund 

they established to help people arrested in anti-government protests in 2019; and 

Whereas the story of Cardinal Zen is only one of many such 

instances of religious persecution and infringement on 

democratic freedom in China and around the world: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns the arrest of Cardinal Zen by the 

3 Hong Kong authorities at the behest of the Chinese 

4 Communist Party; 

5 (2) calls for all charges to be immediately 

6 dropped against Cardinal Zen; 


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•SRES 821 IS 

1 (3) reaffirms religious freedom as a funda2 mental right; and 

3 (4) urges the Chinese and Hong Kong authori4 ties to cease targeting Hong Kong’s civil society ac5 tors and to immediately release and drop all charges 

6 against all political prisoners who have been unjustly 

7 detained and charged. 

Æ 


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