《零八憲章》起草人之一著名作家劉曉波，因涉嫌煽動顛覆國家政權和推翻社會主義, 於前天（6月23日）被北京市公安機關正式逮捕，自去年《零八憲章》發行的前一天,十二月八日, 劉曉波一直被警方拘留。最近當局對維權人士展開了一連串高調的逮捕, 包括去年四月對監禁維權人士胡佳三年半刑期的判決、維權律師高智晟自今年二月起的失踪、《零八憲章》相關人士張祖樺在六月二十二日被拘留等等。劉被剝諮詢 其代表律師莫少平的權利，而莫少平則沒有被正式通知其逮捕或控告。我們對劉曉波在被警方拘留時所作出的自願認罪的真實性和自願性也有質疑。

警方對劉曉波先生的持續拘留是絕對不合法和無理的,這違反了中華人民共和國刑法, 其中指出監視居住是不可超過六個月和只限於在被監視者住所內進行。當局剝奪了其私人和保密的法律諮詢和缺乏遵守適當程序進一步阻礙對劉的公平審判的權利， 我們對此侵犯基本人權和自由，蔑視法治的行為深表遺憾。我們還感到遺憾的是，中國卻未能履行其作為《國際公民權利和政治權利公約》（ 《公約》 ）簽署國的義務，根據盟約的精神,適當地遵守和改善人權狀況。

令我們更深感不安的是，逮捕將產生寒蟬效應，嚴重影響中國內地言論自由的行使。「零八憲章」提倡中國進行政治和民主改革，包括要求有更大的言論、結社和宗 教自由，以及獨立的司法機關。劉曉波先生所為「零八憲章」共同作者，曾因為參與八九民運而被判坐牢，出獄後一直是國內最敢言和最有影響力的批評者之一。拘 留和逮捕劉曉波將無可避免地對「零八憲章」的聯署人構成一種威懾，此舉將不利整個民間社會的言論自由的行使。因此，我們譴責中國政府侵犯中華人民共和國所 賦予的、最基本的言論自由。

為支持國內的維權運動，我們強烈要求： 
1）當局立即無條件釋放劉曉波先生及所有政治犯; 
2）中國政府正視及行使其所為《公約》簽署國的義務，根據中華人民共和國憲法和《國家人權行動綱領》充分尊重人權和法治;以及
3）停止一切針對《零八憲章》的簽署者，在中國內地的維權人士、異見人士及其家屬的政治迫害和騷擾。

On 23 June 2009, prominent Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, co-author of the “Charter 08”, was formally arrested for “alleged agitation activities” aimed at “subversion of the state and overthrowing the country's socialist system”. Liu has been in police detention incommunicado since 8 December last year, one day before the release of the “Charter 08”. This marks a high-profile arrest following, inter alia, the sentencing of human rights campaigner Hu Jia last April to three and a half years, the forced disappearance of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng since February this year and the detention of Zhang Zuhua, a co-organizer of the “Charter 08” on 22 June. Liu has been deprived of his right to access to his lawyer, Mo Shaoping who, on the other hand, has not been officially informed of the arrest or the charges. Doubts are also cast over the making and voluntariness of the confession which Liu has allegedly made while in police custody.  

The continued detention of Liu is unlawful, arbitrary and in contravention of the Chinese Criminal Code which limits “house arrest” to only six months and confines it to the detainee’s residential premises. The deprivation of private and confidential legal advice and lack of observance of due process further impede on Liu’s right to a fair trial and privilege against self-incrimination. We deplore such violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the defiance of the rule of law, as manifested in the treatment of Liu and other human rights defenders in China. We further regret that China, as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (“ICCPR”), has failed its obligations to duly observe and improve the human rights situation according to the overall spirit of the Covenant. 


Further, we are deeply disturbed that that the arrest will aggravate the chilling effect on the exercise of the freedom of expression in China. Calling for various political and democratic reforms in China, ‘Charter 08’ contains demands for greater freedom of expression, association and religion, and an independent judiciary. Liu, co-author of the Charter, has been one of the most outspoken and influential critics after being imprisoned for his involvement in the 1989 democratic movement. The detention and arrest of Liu will inevitably be a deterrent among the Charter’s signatories, and will lead to adverse repercussions on the exercise of the freedom of expression in the civil society at large. Thus, we condemn the Chinese Government for its infringement of the fundamental freedom of expression as guaranteed under the PRC Constitution.

In support of the human rights movements in China, we hereby demand the following:
1. The immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Liu Xiaobo and all other political prisoners;
2. China’s due observance of its obligations as a signatory to the ICCPR, due respect for human rights and the rule of law in light of the PRC Constitution and the Human Rights Action Plan; and
3. An end to all political persecutions and harassment against the “Charter 08” signatories, human rights defenders, dissidents and their associates in China.

Hong Kong University Students’ Union
25 June 2009
 

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