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Press Release - April 6, 2004

Contact: Joseph Kung
PO Box 8086, Stamford, CT 06905, U.S.A
Tel: 203-329-9712 Fax: 203-329-8415 E-Mail: jmkung@aol.com


Another Arrest of an Underground Roman Catholic Bishop




Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A. - Bishop JIA ZhiGuo, the underground Roman Catholic Bishop of Zheng Ding, Hebei, was arrested on April 5, 2004. A car with four government security policemen suddenly appeared at the bishop's residence at approximately 1:30 pm local time and took him away. When asked why the bishop was taken away, the police answered that they were carrying out the order from their superior. We have no idea where he was taken and have no other details.

Bishop JIA is 69 years old and was ordained a bishop in 1980. He was previously arrested on April 20, 2002 and was previously in jail for about 20 years. He has been under strict surveillance for many years. He takes care of approximately 100 handicapped orphans in his house.

Approximately one month ago, the Chinese authority arrested Bishop WEI Jingyi, the underground Roman Catholic

bishop of Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, on March 5, 2004. He was then released on March 14, 2004.

Joseph Kung, the president of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, said: "We do not understand this recent arrest of bishops in China when the Chinese government introduced the terms 'freedom of faith' and 'protection of human rights' into the country's constitution in its recent annual meeting of Chinese parliament. These arrests clearly exemplify that the Chinese government frequently states things in theory, but does not back them up in actual practice. These arrests make the Chinese constitution a mockery."