Sep. 26 (CWNews.com) - Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of China's Zhengding diocese has been freed after more than 10 months in prison, the AsiaNews service reports.
 
 Bishop Jia, who was arrested last November, was subjected to 10 months of "study sessions" and pressured to accept the authority of the Catholic Patriotic Association, local Church sources say. Since his release this week he has been able to meet freely with clergy of the underground Church.
 
 Bishop Jia, whose November arrest was the 8th time he had been taken into custody in less than three years, has now spent 20 years in prison. He is one of the most visible Catholic leaders in the Hebei province, outside Beijing, where the Catholic presence is active, and authorities have made frequent efforts to curtail the activities of the underground Church.