Press Release- September 19, 2008

Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A. - We reported on August 25, 2008 that Bishop Jia Zhiguo 賈治國, an "underground" Roman Catholic Bishop of Zhengding 正定, Heibei, was arrested on Sunday, August 24, 2008. That was Bishop Jia's 12th arrest by the Chinese authority since January 2004.

I am pleased to report that Bishop Jia Zhiguo was escorted by the Security Police and returned to his home at Christ the King Cathedral in WuQiu 武邱, Hebei yesterday, September 18 at 1 PM Beijing time. However, Bishop Jia is far from being free. The Bishop remains under 24-hour police surveillance and is isolated from the priests and faithful of his diocese. Bishop Jia is not allowed to receive any visitor. We have no information on how the Bishop was treated during his arrest except that the Bishop was moved by the security police among Jingxing County 井陛縣, Ping Shan County 平山縣 and Ling Shou County 靈壽縣 of Shijiazhuang 石家庄 in Hebei.

In spite of the fact that the Chinese government has not publicly accused Bishop Jia of any wrong doing, the Chinese government has arrested Bishop Jia repeatedly, and continues placing him under 24-hour police surveillance and isolation for such a long period. We appeal to the Chinese government to immediately restore Bishop Jia's complete freedom and all his rights of a Chinese citizen in accordance with the constitution of the Chinese government.