Title: A 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.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution condemns the arrest of Cardinal Joseph Zen (a Roman Catholic bishop emeritus of Hong Kong) by the Hong Kong authorities at the behest of the Chinese Communist Party.
The resolution calls for all charges to be immediately dropped against Cardinal Zen.
The resolution reaffirms religious freedom as a fundamental right.
Finally, the resolution also urges the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to cease targeting Hong Kong's civil society and to immediately release and drop all charges against all political prisoners who have been unjustly detained and charged.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 821 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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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 movement, 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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the arrest of Cardinal Zen by the Hong Kong 
        authorities at the behest of the Chinese Communist Party;
            (2) calls for all charges to be immediately dropped against 
        Cardinal Zen;
            (3) reaffirms religious freedom as a fundamental right; and
            (4) urges the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to cease 
        targeting Hong Kong's civil society actors and to immediately 
        release and drop all charges against all political prisoners 
        who have been unjustly detained and charged.
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