Hong Kong police arrest Catholic cardinal, a democratic advocate

HONG KONG, May 11 (Reuters) - Hong Kong’s national security police on Wednesday arrested Cardinal Joseph Zen, one of the most senior Catholic clerics in Asia, and four others who helped run a now-disbanded humanitarian fund for protesters, media reported.  

One legal source familiar with the matter told Reuters that five people had been arrested including Zen.  
Zen has long been an advocate of democratic causes in Hong Kong and China, and has spoken out against China’s growing authoritarianism under President Xi Jinping.  

Hui had already been arrested at the airport on Tuesday night for alleged “collusion with foreign forces” according to media reports, while Ho is already in prison for a separate case.   Zen and the others faced the same charge, media said.  

The five were trustees of the “612 Humanitarian Relief Fund” which helped protesters who had been arrested during pro-democracy, anti-China protests in 2019 to help pay their legal and medical fees.  

Reuters was not able to immediately reach Zen nor the others for comment. The Hong Kong Catholic Diocese, Vatican and the Hong Kong police gave no immediate comment.