Hong Kong cardinal ready to be jailed for democracy

One of several leaders of Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement to surrender to police after months of pro-democracy protests, Cardinal Joseph Zen ke-kiun has said he is ready to go to jail.  “I’m prepared to be jailed, which is the strongest and most sincere proof of the unfairness of the system in Hong Kong,” said Hong Kong's emeritus bishop, according to a translation of a report by the Hong Kong Economic Journal.  The 82-year old cardinal turned himself to police on Dec. 3 along with founders of the movement, Benny Tai, Chan Kin-man and Reverend Chu Yiu-ming. All were allowed to leave without facing any charges. The demonstrations have drawn tens of thousands of people, although to-date they have decreased to a few hundred protesters, most of whom are students.  In an Nov. 20 interview with Catholic News Agency, Hong Kong's retired bishop urged student demonstrators to be patient as clashes resume during overnight pro-democracy protests in the city center.  Cardinal Zen, who supports the fight for democratic elections, expressed concern that young protestors were moving too quickly without sufficient planning,

Demonstrations began late September when students staged a week-long boycott of China's decision to only allow pre-screened candidates to be elected as Hong Kong's leader in 2017.  Cardinal Zen said they were fighting for a real democratic election, and Beijing's decision to choose the candidates was not is “real election.”  (Source: CNA)