網路上有人將2009年(數十篇)~2010年 (幾篇) 劉曉波相關的文獻
http://nobelliu.blogspot.tw/2009/12/china-charter-08.html
《我沒有敵人——我的最後陳述》
——劉曉波（2009年12月23日）
在我已過半百的人生道路上，1989年6月是我生命的重大轉折時刻。那之前，我是文革後恢復高考的第一屆大學生（七七級），從學士到碩士再到博士，我的讀書生涯是一帆風順，畢業後留在北京師範大學任教。在講台上，我是一名頗受學生歡迎的教師。同時，我又是一名公共知識分子，在上世紀80年代發表過引起轟動的文章與著作，經常受邀去各地演講，還應歐美國家之邀出國做訪問學者。我給自己提出的要求是：無論做人還是為文，都要活得誠實、負責、有尊嚴。那之後，因從美國回來參加八九運動，我被以「反革命宣傳煽動罪」投入監獄，也失去了我酷愛的講台，再也不能在國內發表文章和演講。僅僅因為發表不同政見和參加和平民主運動，一名教師就失去了講台，一個作家就失去了發表的權利，一位公共知識人就失去公開演講的機會，這，無論之於我個人還是之於改革開放已經30年的中國，都是一種悲哀。
想起來，六四後我最富有戲劇性的經歷，居然都與法庭相關；我兩次面對公眾講話的機會都是北京市中級法院的開庭提供的，一次是1991年1月，一次是現在。雖然兩次被指控的罪名不同，但其實質基本相同，皆是因言獲罪。
20年過去了，六四冤魂還未瞑目，被六四情結引向持不同政見者之路的我，在1991年走出秦城監獄之後，就失去了在自己的祖國公開發言的權利，而只能通過境外媒體發言，並因此而被長年監控，被監視居住（1995年5月-1996年1月），被勞動教養（1996年10月-1999年10月），現在又再次被政權的敵人意識推上了被告席，但我仍然要對這個剝奪我自由的政權說，我監守覑20年前我在《六．二絕食宣言》中所表達的信念——我沒有敵人，也沒有仇恨。所有監控過我、捉捕過我、審訊過我的警察，起訴過我的檢察官，判決過我的法官，都不是我的敵人。雖然我無法接受你們的監控、逮捕、起訴和判決，但我尊重你的職業與人格，包括現在代表控方起訴我的張榮革和潘雪晴兩位檢察官。在12月3日兩位對我的詢問中，我能感到你們的尊重和誠意。
因為，仇恨會腐蝕一個人的智慧和良知，敵人意識將毒化一個民族的精神，煽動起你死我活的殘酷鬥爭，眦掉一個社會的寬容和人性，阻礙一個國家走向自由民主的進程。所以，我希望自己能夠超越個人的遭遇來看待國家的發展和社會的變化，以最大的善意對待政權的敵意，以愛化解恨。
眾所周知，是改革開放帶來了國家的發展和社會的變化。在我看來，改革開放始於放棄毛時代的「以階級鬥爭為綱」的執政方針。轉而致力於經濟發展和社會和諧。放棄「鬥爭哲學」的過程也是逐步淡化敵人意識、消除仇恨心理的過程，是一個擠掉浸入人性之中的「狼奶」的過程。正是這一進程，為改革開放提供了一個寬鬆的國內外環境，為恢復人與人之間的互愛，為不同利益不同價值的和平共處提供了柔軟的人性土壤，從而為國人的創造力之迸發和愛心之恢復提供了符合人性的激勵。可以說，對外放棄「反帝反修」，對內放棄「階級鬥爭」，是中國的改革開放得以持續至今的基本前提。經濟走向市場，文化趨於多元，秩序逐漸法治，皆受益於「敵人意識」的淡化。即使在進步最為緩慢的政治領域，敵人意識的淡化也讓政權對社會的多元化有了日益擴大的包容性，對不同政見者的迫害之力度也大幅度下降，對八九運動的定性也由「動暴亂」改為「政治風波」。敵人意識的淡化讓政權逐步接受了人權的普世性，1998年，中國政府向世界做出簽署聯合國的兩大國際人權公約的承諾，標誌覑中國對普世人權標準的承認；2004年，全國人大修憲首次把「國家尊重和保障人權」寫進了憲法，標誌覑人權已經成為中國法治的根本原則之一。與此同時，現政權又提出「以人為本」、「創建和諧社會」，標誌覑中共執政理念的進步。
這些宏觀方面的進步，也能從我被捕以來的親身經歷中感受到。
儘管我堅持認為自己無罪，對我的指控是違憲的，但在我失去自由的一年多時間裏，先後經歷了兩個關押地點、四位預審警官、三位檢察官、二位法官，他們的辦案，沒有不尊重，沒有超時，沒有逼供。他們的態度平和、理性，且時時流露出善意。6月23日，我被從監視居住處轉到北京市公安局第一看守所，簡稱「北看」。在北看的半年時間裏，我看到了監管上的進步。
1996年，我曾在老北看（半步橋）呆過，與十幾年前半步橋時的北看相比，現在的北看，在硬件設施和軟件管理上都有了極大的改善。特別是北看首創的人性化管理，在尊重在押人員的權利和人格的基礎上，將柔性化的管理落實到管教們的一言一行中，體現在「溫馨廣播」、「悔悟」雜誌、飯前音樂、起脇睡覺的音樂中，這種管理，讓在押人員感到了尊嚴與溫暖，激發了他們維持監室秩序和反對牢頭獄霸的自覺性，不但為在押人員提供了人性化的生活環境，也極大地改善了在押人員的訴訟環境和心態，我與主管我所在監室的劉崢管教有覑近距離的接觸，他對在押人員的尊重和關心，體現在管理的每個細節中，滲透到他的一言一行中，讓人感到溫暖。結識這位真誠、正直、負責、善心的劉管教，也可以算作我在北看的幸運吧。
政治基於這樣的信念和親歷，我堅信中國的政治進步不會停止，我對未來自由中國的降臨充滿樂觀的期待，因為任何力量也無法阻攔心向自由的人性欲求，中國終將變成人權至上的法治國。我也期待這樣的進步能體現在此案的審理中，期待合議庭的公正裁決——經得起歷史檢驗的裁決。
如果讓我說出這二十年來最幸運的經歷，那就是得到了我的妻子劉霞的無私的愛。今天，我妻子無法到庭旁聽，但我還是要對你說，親愛的，我堅信你對我的愛將一如既往。這麼多年來，在我的無自由的生活中，我們的愛飽含覑外在環境所強加的苦澀，但回味起來依然無窮。我在有形的監獄中服刑，你在無形的心獄中等待，你的愛，就是超越高牆、穿透鐵窗的陽光，撫摸我的每寸皮膚，溫暖我的每個細胞，讓我始終保有內心的平和、坦蕩與明亮，讓獄中的每分鐘都充滿意義。而我對你的愛，充滿了負疚和歉意，有時沉重得讓我腳步蹣跚。我是荒野中的頑石，任由狂風暴雨的抽打，冷得讓人不敢觸碰。但我的愛是堅硬的、鋒利的，可以穿透任何阻礙。即使我被碾成粉末，我也會用灰燼擁抱你。
親愛的，有你的愛，我就會坦然面對即將到來的審判，無悔於自己的選擇，樂觀地期待覑明天。我期待我的國家是一片可以自由表達的土地，在這裏，每一位國民的發言都會得到同等的善待；在這裏，不同的價值、思想、信仰、政見……既相互競爭又和平共處；在這裏，多數的意見和少數的意見都會得到平等的保障，特別是那些不同於當權者的政見將得到充分的尊重和保護；在這裏，所有的政見都將攤在陽光下接受民眾的選擇，每個國民都能毫無恐懼地發表政見，決不會因發表不同政見而遭受政治迫害；我期待，我將是中國綿綿不絕的文字獄的最後一個受害者，從此之後不再有人因言獲罪。
表達自由，人權之基，人性之本，真理之母。封殺言論自由，踐踏人權，窒息人性，壓抑真理。
為踐行憲法賦予的言論自由之權利，當盡到一個中國公民的社會責任，我的所作所為無罪，即便為此被指控，也無怨言。
謝謝各位！
——劉曉波（2009年12月23日）
在我已過半百的人生道路上，1989年6月是我生命的重大轉折時刻。那之前，我是文革後恢復高考的第一屆大學生（七七級），從學士到碩士再到博士，我的讀書生涯是一帆風順，畢業後留在北京師範大學任教。在講台上，我是一名頗受學生歡迎的教師。同時，我又是一名公共知識分子，在上世紀80年代發表過引起轟動的文章與著作，經常受邀去各地演講，還應歐美國家之邀出國做訪問學者。我給自己提出的要求是：無論做人還是為文，都要活得誠實、負責、有尊嚴。那之後，因從美國回來參加八九運動，我被以「反革命宣傳煽動罪」投入監獄，也失去了我酷愛的講台，再也不能在國內發表文章和演講。僅僅因為發表不同政見和參加和平民主運動，一名教師就失去了講台，一個作家就失去了發表的權利，一位公共知識人就失去公開演講的機會，這，無論之於我個人還是之於改革開放已經30年的中國，都是一種悲哀。
想起來，六四後我最富有戲劇性的經歷，居然都與法庭相關；我兩次面對公眾講話的機會都是北京市中級法院的開庭提供的，一次是1991年1月，一次是現在。雖然兩次被指控的罪名不同，但其實質基本相同，皆是因言獲罪。
20年過去了，六四冤魂還未瞑目，被六四情結引向持不同政見者之路的我，在1991年走出秦城監獄之後，就失去了在自己的祖國公開發言的權利，而只能通過境外媒體發言，並因此而被長年監控，被監視居住（1995年5月-1996年1月），被勞動教養（1996年10月-1999年10月），現在又再次被政權的敵人意識推上了被告席，但我仍然要對這個剝奪我自由的政權說，我監守覑20年前我在《六．二絕食宣言》中所表達的信念——我沒有敵人，也沒有仇恨。所有監控過我、捉捕過我、審訊過我的警察，起訴過我的檢察官，判決過我的法官，都不是我的敵人。雖然我無法接受你們的監控、逮捕、起訴和判決，但我尊重你的職業與人格，包括現在代表控方起訴我的張榮革和潘雪晴兩位檢察官。在12月3日兩位對我的詢問中，我能感到你們的尊重和誠意。
因為，仇恨會腐蝕一個人的智慧和良知，敵人意識將毒化一個民族的精神，煽動起你死我活的殘酷鬥爭，眦掉一個社會的寬容和人性，阻礙一個國家走向自由民主的進程。所以，我希望自己能夠超越個人的遭遇來看待國家的發展和社會的變化，以最大的善意對待政權的敵意，以愛化解恨。
眾所周知，是改革開放帶來了國家的發展和社會的變化。在我看來，改革開放始於放棄毛時代的「以階級鬥爭為綱」的執政方針。轉而致力於經濟發展和社會和諧。放棄「鬥爭哲學」的過程也是逐步淡化敵人意識、消除仇恨心理的過程，是一個擠掉浸入人性之中的「狼奶」的過程。正是這一進程，為改革開放提供了一個寬鬆的國內外環境，為恢復人與人之間的互愛，為不同利益不同價值的和平共處提供了柔軟的人性土壤，從而為國人的創造力之迸發和愛心之恢復提供了符合人性的激勵。可以說，對外放棄「反帝反修」，對內放棄「階級鬥爭」，是中國的改革開放得以持續至今的基本前提。經濟走向市場，文化趨於多元，秩序逐漸法治，皆受益於「敵人意識」的淡化。即使在進步最為緩慢的政治領域，敵人意識的淡化也讓政權對社會的多元化有了日益擴大的包容性，對不同政見者的迫害之力度也大幅度下降，對八九運動的定性也由「動暴亂」改為「政治風波」。敵人意識的淡化讓政權逐步接受了人權的普世性，1998年，中國政府向世界做出簽署聯合國的兩大國際人權公約的承諾，標誌覑中國對普世人權標準的承認；2004年，全國人大修憲首次把「國家尊重和保障人權」寫進了憲法，標誌覑人權已經成為中國法治的根本原則之一。與此同時，現政權又提出「以人為本」、「創建和諧社會」，標誌覑中共執政理念的進步。
這些宏觀方面的進步，也能從我被捕以來的親身經歷中感受到。
儘管我堅持認為自己無罪，對我的指控是違憲的，但在我失去自由的一年多時間裏，先後經歷了兩個關押地點、四位預審警官、三位檢察官、二位法官，他們的辦案，沒有不尊重，沒有超時，沒有逼供。他們的態度平和、理性，且時時流露出善意。6月23日，我被從監視居住處轉到北京市公安局第一看守所，簡稱「北看」。在北看的半年時間裏，我看到了監管上的進步。
1996年，我曾在老北看（半步橋）呆過，與十幾年前半步橋時的北看相比，現在的北看，在硬件設施和軟件管理上都有了極大的改善。特別是北看首創的人性化管理，在尊重在押人員的權利和人格的基礎上，將柔性化的管理落實到管教們的一言一行中，體現在「溫馨廣播」、「悔悟」雜誌、飯前音樂、起脇睡覺的音樂中，這種管理，讓在押人員感到了尊嚴與溫暖，激發了他們維持監室秩序和反對牢頭獄霸的自覺性，不但為在押人員提供了人性化的生活環境，也極大地改善了在押人員的訴訟環境和心態，我與主管我所在監室的劉崢管教有覑近距離的接觸，他對在押人員的尊重和關心，體現在管理的每個細節中，滲透到他的一言一行中，讓人感到溫暖。結識這位真誠、正直、負責、善心的劉管教，也可以算作我在北看的幸運吧。
政治基於這樣的信念和親歷，我堅信中國的政治進步不會停止，我對未來自由中國的降臨充滿樂觀的期待，因為任何力量也無法阻攔心向自由的人性欲求，中國終將變成人權至上的法治國。我也期待這樣的進步能體現在此案的審理中，期待合議庭的公正裁決——經得起歷史檢驗的裁決。
如果讓我說出這二十年來最幸運的經歷，那就是得到了我的妻子劉霞的無私的愛。今天，我妻子無法到庭旁聽，但我還是要對你說，親愛的，我堅信你對我的愛將一如既往。這麼多年來，在我的無自由的生活中，我們的愛飽含覑外在環境所強加的苦澀，但回味起來依然無窮。我在有形的監獄中服刑，你在無形的心獄中等待，你的愛，就是超越高牆、穿透鐵窗的陽光，撫摸我的每寸皮膚，溫暖我的每個細胞，讓我始終保有內心的平和、坦蕩與明亮，讓獄中的每分鐘都充滿意義。而我對你的愛，充滿了負疚和歉意，有時沉重得讓我腳步蹣跚。我是荒野中的頑石，任由狂風暴雨的抽打，冷得讓人不敢觸碰。但我的愛是堅硬的、鋒利的，可以穿透任何阻礙。即使我被碾成粉末，我也會用灰燼擁抱你。
親愛的，有你的愛，我就會坦然面對即將到來的審判，無悔於自己的選擇，樂觀地期待覑明天。我期待我的國家是一片可以自由表達的土地，在這裏，每一位國民的發言都會得到同等的善待；在這裏，不同的價值、思想、信仰、政見……既相互競爭又和平共處；在這裏，多數的意見和少數的意見都會得到平等的保障，特別是那些不同於當權者的政見將得到充分的尊重和保護；在這裏，所有的政見都將攤在陽光下接受民眾的選擇，每個國民都能毫無恐懼地發表政見，決不會因發表不同政見而遭受政治迫害；我期待，我將是中國綿綿不絕的文字獄的最後一個受害者，從此之後不再有人因言獲罪。
表達自由，人權之基，人性之本，真理之母。封殺言論自由，踐踏人權，窒息人性，壓抑真理。
為踐行憲法賦予的言論自由之權利，當盡到一個中國公民的社會責任，我的所作所為無罪，即便為此被指控，也無怨言。
謝謝各位！
《我的自辯》
——劉曉波（2009年12月23日）
《起訴書》（京一分檢刑訴（2009）247號）列舉了六篇文章和《零八憲章》，並總中引述了三百三十多字據此指控我觸犯了《刑法》第105條第2款之規定，犯有「煽動顛覆國家政權罪」，應當追究刑事責任。
對《起訴書》所列舉事實，除了說我「在徵集了三百餘人的簽名後」的事實陳述不準確之外，對其他的事實，我沒有異議。那六篇文章是我寫的，我參與了《零八憲章》，但我徵集的簽名只有70人左右，而不是三百多人，其他人的簽名不是我徵集的。至於據此指控我犯罪，我無法接受。在我失去自由的一年多時間裏，面對預審警官、檢察官和法官的詢問，我一直堅持自己無罪。現在，我將從中國憲法中的有關規定、聯合國的國際人權公約、我的政治改革主張、歷史潮流等多方面為自己進行無罪辯護。
一、改革開放帶來的重要成果之一，就是國人的人權意識的日益覺醒，民間維權的此起彼伏，推動中國政府在人權觀念上的進步。2004年全國人大修憲，把「國家尊重和保障人權」寫進了憲法，遂使人權保障成為依法治國的憲法原則。這些國家必須尊重和保障的人權，就是憲法第35條規定的諸項公民權利，言論自由便是基本人權之一。我的言論所表達的不同政見，是一個中國公民在行使憲法所賦予的言論自由權利，非但不能受到政府的限制和任意剝奪，反而必須得到國家的尊重和法律的保護。所以，起訴書對我的指控，侵犯了我作為中國公民的基本人權，違反了中國的根本大法，是典型的因言治罪，是古老的文字獄在當代中國的延續，理應受到道義的譴責和違憲追究。《刑法》第105條第二款也有違憲之嫌，應該提請全國人大對其進行合憲性審查。
二、《起訴書》根據所引的幾段話就指控我「以造謠、誹謗等方式煽動顛覆國家政權，推翻社會主義制度」這是欲加之罪。因為「造謠」是難造、編造虛假信息，中傷他人。「誹謗」是無中生有地詆譭他人的信譽與人格。二者涉及的都是事實的真假，涉及他人的名譽與利益。而我的言論皆為批評性的評論，是思想觀點的表達，是價值判斷而非事實判斷，也沒有對任何人造成傷害。所以，我的言論與造謠、誹謗風馬牛不相及。換言之，批評不是造謠，反對更不是誹謗。
三、《起訴書》根據《零八憲章》的幾段言論指控我誣蔑執政黨，「試圖煽動顛覆現政權」。這指控有斷章取義之嫌，它完全無視《零八憲章》的整體表述，無視我所有的文章所表述的一貫觀點。
首先，《零八憲章》指出的「人權災難」都是發生在當代中國的事實，「反右」錯劃了五十多萬右派，「大躍進」造成了上千萬人的非自然死亡，「文革」造成國家的浩劫。「六·四」是血案，許多人死了，許多人被投入監獄。這些事實都是舉世公認的「人權災難」，確實為中國的發展帶來危機，「束縛了中華民族的自身發展，制約了人類文明的進步。」至於取消一黨壟斷執政特權，不過是要求執政黨進行還政於民的改革，最終建立「民有、民治、民享」的自由國家。
其次，《零八憲章》所申明的價值和所提出的政改主張，其長遠目標是建成自由民主的聯邦共和國，其改革措施是十九條，其改革方式是漸進的和平的方式。這是有感於現行的跛足改革的種種弊端，要求執政黨變跛足為雙足，即政治與經濟同步並進的均衡改革。也就是從民間的角度推動官方盡快啟動還政於民的改革，用自下而上的民間壓力敦促政府進行自上而下的政治變革，從而形成官民互動的良性合作，以盡早實現國人的百年憲政之夢想。
再次，從1989年到2009年的二十年裏，我所表達的中國政治改革的觀點，一直是漸進、和平、有序、可控。我也一貫反對一步到位的激進改革，更反對暴力革命。這種漸進式改革主張，在我的《通過改變社會來改變政權》一文中有覑明確的表述：通過致力於民間權利意識的覺醒、民間維權的擴張、民間自主性的上升、民間社會的發展，形成自下而上的壓力，以推動自上而下的官方改革。事實上，中國三十年的改革實踐證明，每一次具有制度創新性質的改革措施的出台和實施，其最根本的動力皆來自民間的自發改革，民間改革的認同性和影響逐漸擴大，迫使官方接受民間的創新嘗試，從而變成自上而下的改革決策。
總之，漸進、和平、有序、可控，自下而上與自上而下的互動，是我關於中國政治改革的關鍵詞。因為這種方式代價最小，效果最大。我知道政治變革的基本常識，有序、可控的社會變革必定優於無序、失控的變革。壞政府治下的秩序也優於無政府的天下大亂。所以，我反對獨裁化或壟斷化的執政方式，並不是「煽動顛覆現政權」。換言之，反對並不等於顛覆。
四、中國有「滿招損、謙受益」的古訓，西諺有「狂妄必遭天譴」的箴言。我知道自己的局限，所以，我也知道我的公開言論不可能十全十美或完全正確。特別是我的時評類文章，不嚴謹的論證，情緒化的宣泄，錯誤的表述，以偏概全的結論……在所難免。但是，這些有局限性的言論，與犯罪毫無關系，不能作為治罪的依據。因為，言論自由之權利，不僅包括發表正確觀點的權利，也包括發表錯誤言論的權利。正確的言論和多數的意見需要保護；不正確的言論和少數的意見，同樣需要權利的保護。正所謂：我可以不贊成或反對你的觀點，但我堅決捍衛你公開表達不同觀點的權利，哪怕你所表達的觀點是錯誤的，這，才是言論自由的精義。對此，中國古代傳統中也有過經典的概括。我把這種概括稱為二十四字箴言：知無不言，言無不盡；言者無罪，聞者足戒；有則改之，無則加勉。正因為這二十四字箴言道出了言論自由的要義，才能讓每一代國人耳熟能詳，流傳至今。我認為，其中「言者無罪，聞者足戒」，完全可以作為當代國人對待批評意見的座右銘，更應該成為當權者對待不同政見的警示。
五、我無罪，因為對我的指控有違國際社會公認的人權準則。早在1948年，中國作為聯合國的常任理事國就參與起草了《世界人權宣言》；五十年後的 1998年，中國政府又向國際社會作出了簽署聯合國制定的兩大國際人權公約的莊嚴承諾。其中《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》把言論自由列為最基本的普世人權，要求各國政府必須加以尊重和保障。中國作為聯合國常任理事國，也作為聯合國人權理事會的成員，有義務遵守聯合國制定的人權公約，有責任踐行自己的承諾，也應該模範地執行聯合國發布的人權保障條款。惟其如此，中國政府才能切實保障本國國民的人權，為推動國際人權事業做出自己的貢獻，從而顯示出一個大國的文明風範。
遺憾的是，中國政府並沒有完全履行自己的義務和兌現自己的承諾，並沒有把紙上的保證落實為現實的行動，有憲法而無憲政，有承諾而無兌現，仍然是中國政府在應對國際社會的批評時的常態。現在對我的指控就是最新的例證。顯然，這樣的因言治罪，與中國作為常任理事國和人權理事會的成員的身分相悖，有損於中國的政治形象和國家利益，無法在政治上取信於文明世界。
六、無論在中國還是在世界，無論是在古代還是現當代，因言治罪的文字獄都是反人道反人權的行為，有悖於大勢所趨、人心所向的時代潮流。回顧中國歷史，即使在家天下的帝制時代，從秦到清，文字獄的盛行，歷來都是一個政權的執政污點，也是中華民族的恥辱。秦始皇有統一中國之功，但其「焚書坑儒」之暴政卻遺臭萬年。漢武帝雄才大略，但其閹割太史公司馬遷之舉則倍受病詬。清朝有「康乾盛世」，但其頻繁的文字獄也只能留下罵名。相反，漢文帝在二千多年前就廢除過因言治罪的「誣謗罪」，由此贏得了開朝仁君的美名和歷代推崇的「文景之治」。
進入現代中國，中國共產黨之所以由弱而強，最終戰勝國民黨，在根本上源自其「反獨裁爭自由」的道義力量。1949年前，中共的《新華日報》和《解放日報》經常發文抨擊蔣家政權對言論自由的壓制，為因言獲罪的有識之士大聲疾呼。毛澤東等中共領袖也多次論及言論自由及基本人權。但1949年後，從反右到文革，林昭被槍斃，張志新被割喉，言論自由在毛時代消失了，國家陷於萬馬齊瘖的死寂。改革以來，執政黨撥亂反正，對不同政見的容忍度有大幅度提高，社會的言論空間不斷擴大，文字獄大幅度減少，但因言治罪的傳統並沒有完全滅絕。從四·五到六· 四，從民主牆到零八憲章，因言治罪的案例時有發生。我此次獲罪，不過是最近的文字獄而已。
二十一世紀的今天，言論自由早已成為多數國人的共識，文字獄卻是千夫所指。從客觀效果上看，防民之口甚於防川，監獄的高牆關不住自由的表達。一個政權不可能靠壓抑不同政見來建立合法性，也不可能靠文字獄來達成長治久安。因為，筆桿子的問題只能訴諸筆桿子來解決，一旦動用槍桿子解決筆桿子的問題，只能造成人權災難。只有從制度上根絕文字獄，憲法所規定的言論自由權利才能落實到每一位國民身上；只有當國民的言論自由權利得到制度化的現實保障，文字獄才會在中國大地上滅絕。
因言治罪，不符合中國憲法所確立的人權原則，違反了聯合國發布的國際人權公約，有悖於普世道義與歷史潮流。我為自己所做的無罪辯護，希望能夠得到法庭的採納，從而讓此案的裁決在中國法治史上具有開先河的意義，經得起中國憲法之人權條款與國際人權公約的審查，也經得起道義的追問和歷史的檢驗。
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2009年12月7日 星期一
China's Charter 08零八憲章
《零八憲章》是為了紀念2008年12月10日《世界人權宣言》發表60周年由劉曉波等人起草並由303位中國各界人士首批簽署的一份宣言，旨在促進中國民主化進程，改善人權狀況。由於內容敏感，迄12月11日止發起人中已有兩人因此事被中華人民共和國政府逮捕。到目前為止，在《零八憲章》上簽名的有八千多人，還有一些人陸續在網上簽名。不過由於網站受到當局干擾，所以即使在網上簽名也已經不容易。
起草人在宣言開頭解釋了發佈《零八憲章》的立場：
今年是中國立憲百年，《世界人權宣言》公布60周年，「民主牆」誕生30周年，中國政府簽署《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》10周年。在經歷了長期的人權災難和艱難曲折的抗爭歷程之後，覺醒的中國公民日漸清楚地認識到，自由、平等、人權是人類共同的普世價值；民主、共和、憲政是現代政治的基本制度架構。
過程
零八憲章由中國303名各界人士發起並簽署。為因應世界人權宣言60周年，中國的維權人士呼籲在自由、平等、人權的普世價值下，在中國實施民主、共和、憲政的現代政治架構。原定於2008年12月10日簽署《世界人權宣言》60周年這一天舉行論壇，並發表中國《零八憲章》。不過因為當局的逮捕行動而終止。
簽署者除發起人劉曉波以外，尚有鮑彤、丁子霖、戴晴、於浩成、浦志強、張祖樺、茅於軾、冉雲飛、劉逸明等，包括一些中國著名異見人士與維權人士。[5]
宣言內容
《零八憲章》分「前言」、「我們的基本理念」、「我們的基本主張」和「結語」等四部分，主要內容是闡述自由、人權、民主、憲政等概念，主張修改憲法、實行分權制衡，實現立法民主，司法獨立，主張結社、集會、言論、宗教自由，宣言共提出6點理念與19點的主張。
基本理念
* 自由：言論、出版、信仰、集會、結社、遷徙、罷工和遊行示威等權利
* 人權：人是國家的主體，國家服務於人民，政府為人民而存在。
* 平等：公民不論社會地位、職業、性別、經濟狀況、種族、膚色、宗教或政治信仰，其人格、尊嚴、自由都是平等的。
* 共和：要求「大家共治，和平共生」，分權制衡與利益平衡。
* 民主：主權在民和民選政府。
* 憲政：主張以法治限制政府權力和行為的邊界。
十九點基本主張
《零八憲章》提出了十九點基本主張，包括：
1. 修改憲法
2. 分權制衡
3. 立法民主
4. 司法獨立
5. 公器公用
6. 人權保障
7. 公職選舉
8. 城鄉平等
9. 結社自由
10. 集會自由
11. 言論自由
12. 宗教自由
13. 公民教育
14. 財產保護
15. 財稅改革
16. 社會保障
17. 環境保護
18. 聯邦共和
19. 轉型正義
內容觸及了政治改革、經濟改革、城鄉差距與環境保護等諸多方面。
政府壓制
《零八憲章》發布至今，不斷有人加入簽署者行列。與此同時，中國政府也在採取打壓行動。首先是《零八憲章》共同起草人之一劉曉波被起訴。北京大學法學院教授賀衛方最近被調往新疆石河子支教。雖然原因無法確定，但有人認為可能和憲章有關。另外一位在《零八憲章》上簽名的北大教授夏業良受到很大的壓力，在兩個學術組織的職務被撤銷。
其他許多簽署人也被警方傳喚，要求他們退出。據維權網報導，3月23日，四川自貢市簽署人羅世模被當地警方刑事傳喚，問及有關簽署《零八憲章》的情況。另外，廣東省韶關民運人士羅勇泉因為簽署《零八憲章》4月1日遭韶關市南雄縣國保大隊傳喚，這已經是半個月來第二次。
據很多簽署人反映，警方在傳訊他們的時候都做了筆錄，問話內容圍繞《零八憲章》共同起草人劉曉波以及簽署前後的情況。
在海外，該聲明則得到了余英時、哈金、陳一諮、方勵之、胡平、宋永毅、蘇曉康、萬潤南、王丹等多位著名人士的支持。
簽署人表示，他們這樣做，是為了表達他們就中國未來向何處去這個問題的一種共識，希望民眾了解他們的民主訴求，但他們並不奢求能夠很快實現所追求的目標.
中共在國內各媒體網站對此憲章全面封鎖，禁止報導。有消息稱北京大學法學院以黨委名義發布群郵件要求該院學生抵制零八憲章。
國際反應
2009年3月11日，在布拉格開幕的2009年「同一個世界」人權電影節開幕式上，捷克前總統哈維爾親自將「人與人」（Homo Homini）人權獎授予劉曉波和《零八憲章》簽署群體。由於劉曉波因故不能出席，參與簽署《零八憲章》的中國哲學家徐友漁、學者崔衛平和律師莫少平代替劉曉波接受了這一獎項。
China's Charter 08
Translated from the Chinese by Perry Link
The document below, signed by more than two thousand Chinese citizens, was conceived and written in conscious admiration of the founding of Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia, where, in January 1977, more than two hundred Czech and Slovak intellectuals formed a
loose, informal, and open association of people...united by the will to strive individually and collectively for respect for human and civil rights in our country and throughout the world.
The Chinese document calls not for ameliorative reform of the current political system but for an end to some of its essential features, including one-party rule, and their replacement with a system based on human rights and democracy.
The prominent citizens who have signed the document are from both outside and inside the government, and include not only well-known dissidents and intellectuals, but also middle-level officials and rural leaders. They chose December 10, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as the day on which to express their political ideas and to outline their vision of a constitutional, democratic China. They want Charter 08 to serve as a blueprint for fundamental political change in China in the years to come. The signers of the document will form an informal group, open-ended in size but united by a determination to promote democratization and protection of human rights in China and beyond.
Following the text is a postscript describing some of the regime's recent reactions to it.
—Perry Link
I. FOREWORD
A hundred years have passed since the writing of China's first constitution. 2008 also marks the sixtieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the thirtieth anniversary of the appearance of the Democracy Wall in Beijing, and the tenth of China's signing of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We are approaching the twentieth anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre of pro-democracy student protesters. The Chinese people, who have endured human rights disasters and uncountable struggles across these same years, now include many who see clearly that freedom, equality, and human rights are universal values of humankind and that democracy and constitutional government are the fundamental framework for protecting these values.
By departing from these values, the Chinese government's approach to "modernization" has proven disastrous. It has stripped people of their rights, destroyed their dignity, and corrupted normal human intercourse. So we ask: Where is China headed in the twenty-first century? Will it continue with "modernization" under authoritarian rule, or will it embrace universal human values, join the mainstream of civilized nations, and build a democratic system? There can be no avoiding these questions.
The shock of the Western impact upon China in the nineteenth century laid bare a decadent authoritarian system and marked the beginning of what is often called "the greatest changes in thousands of years" for China. A "self-strengthening movement" followed, but this aimed simply at appropriating the technology to build gunboats and other Western material objects. China's humiliating naval defeat at the hands of Japan in 1895 only confirmed the obsolescence of China's system of government. The first attempts at modern political change came with the ill-fated summer of reforms in 1898, but these were cruelly crushed by ultraconservatives at China's imperial court. With the revolution of 1911, which inaugurated Asia's first republic, the authoritarian imperial system that had lasted for centuries was finally supposed to have been laid to rest. But social conflict inside our country and external pressures were to prevent it; China fell into a patchwork of warlord fiefdoms and the new republic became a fleeting dream.
The failure of both "self- strengthening" and political renovation caused many of our forebears to reflect deeply on whether a "cultural illness" was afflicting our country. This mood gave rise, during the May Fourth Movement of the late 1910s, to the championing of "science and democracy." Yet that effort, too, foundered as warlord chaos persisted and the Japanese invasion [beginning in Manchuria in 1931] brought national crisis.
Victory over Japan in 1945 offered one more chance for China to move toward modern government, but the Communist defeat of the Nationalists in the civil war thrust the nation into the abyss of totalitarianism. The "new China" that emerged in 1949 proclaimed that "the people are sovereign" but in fact set up a system in which "the Party is all-powerful." The Communist Party of China seized control of all organs of the state and all political, economic, and social resources, and, using these, has produced a long trail of human rights disasters, including, among many others, the Anti-Rightist Campaign (1957), the Great Leap Forward (1958–1960), the Cultural Revolution (1966–1969), the June Fourth [Tiananmen Square] Massacre (1989), and the current repression of all unauthorized religions and the suppression of the weiquan rights movement [a movement that aims to defend citizens' rights promulgated in the Chinese Constitution and to fight for human rights recognized by international conventions that the Chinese government has signed]. During all this, the Chinese people have paid a gargantuan price. Tens of millions have lost their lives, and several generations have seen their freedom, their happiness, and their human dignity cruelly trampled.
During the last two decades of the twentieth century the government policy of "Reform and Opening" gave the Chinese people relief from the pervasive poverty and totalitarianism of the Mao Zedong era, and brought substantial increases in the wealth and living standards of many Chinese as well as a partial restoration of economic freedom and economic rights. Civil society began to grow, and popular calls for more rights and more political freedom have grown apace. As the ruling elite itself moved toward private ownership and the market economy, it began to shift from an outright rejection of "rights" to a partial acknowledgment of them.
In 1998 the Chinese government signed two important international human rights conventions; in 2004 it amended its constitution to include the phrase "respect and protect human rights"; and this year, 2008, it has promised to promote a "national human rights action plan." Unfortunately most of this political progress has extended no further than the paper on which it is written. The political reality, which is plain for anyone to see, is that China has many laws but no rule of law; it has a constitution but no constitutional government. The ruling elite continues to cling to its authoritarian power and fights off any move toward political change.
The stultifying results are endemic official corruption, an undermining of the rule of law, weak human rights, decay in public ethics, crony capitalism, growing inequality between the wealthy and the poor, pillage of the natural environment as well as of the human and historical environments, and the exacerbation of a long list of social conflicts, especially, in recent times, a sharpening animosity between officials and ordinary people.
As these conflicts and crises grow ever more intense, and as the ruling elite continues with impunity to crush and to strip away the rights of citizens to freedom, to property, and to the pursuit of happiness, we see the powerless in our society—the vulnerable groups, the people who have been suppressed and monitored, who have suffered cruelty and even torture, and who have had no adequate avenues for their protests, no courts to hear their pleas—becoming more militant and raising the possibility of a violent conflict of disastrous proportions. The decline of the current system has reached the point where change is no longer optional.
II. OUR FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
This is a historic moment for China, and our future hangs in the balance. In reviewing the political modernization process of the past hundred years or more, we reiterate and endorse basic universal values as follows:
Freedom. Freedom is at the core of universal human values. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom in where to live, and the freedoms to strike, to demonstrate, and to protest, among others, are the forms that freedom takes. Without freedom, China will always remain far from civilized ideals.
Human rights. Human rights are not bestowed by a state. Every person is born with inherent rights to dignity and freedom. The government exists for the protection of the human rights of its citizens. The exercise of state power must be authorized by the people. The succession of political disasters in China's recent history is a direct consequence of the ruling regime's disregard for human rights.
Equality. The integrity, dignity, and freedom of every person—regardless of social station, occupation, sex, economic condition, ethnicity, skin color, religion, or political belief—are the same as those of any other. Principles of equality before the law and equality of social, economic, cultural, civil, and political rights must be upheld.
Republicanism. Republicanism, which holds that power should be balanced among different branches of government and competing interests should be served, resembles the traditional Chinese political ideal of "fairness in all under heaven." It allows different interest groups and social assemblies, and people with a variety of cultures and beliefs, to exercise democratic self-government and to deliberate in order to reach peaceful resolution of public questions on a basis of equal access to government and free and fair competition.
Democracy. The most fundamental principles of democracy are that the people are sovereign and the people select their government. Democracy has these characteristics: (1) Political power begins with the people and the legitimacy of a regime derives from the people. (2) Political power is exercised through choices that the people make. (3) The holders of major official posts in government at all levels are determined through periodic competitive elections. (4) While honoring the will of the majority, the fundamental dignity, freedom, and human rights of minorities are protected. In short, democracy is a modern means for achieving government truly "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
Constitutional rule. Constitutional rule is rule through a legal system and legal regulations to implement principles that are spelled out in a constitution. It means protecting the freedom and the rights of citizens, limiting and defining the scope of legitimate government power, and providing the administrative apparatus necessary to serve these ends.
III. WHAT WE ADVOCATE
Authoritarianism is in general decline throughout the world; in China, too, the era of emperors and overlords is on the way out. The time is arriving everywhere for citizens to be masters of states. For China the path that leads out of our current predicament is to divest ourselves of the authoritarian notion of reliance on an "enlightened overlord" or an "honest official" and to turn instead toward a system of liberties, democracy, and the rule of law, and toward fostering the consciousness of modern citizens who see rights as fundamental and participation as a duty. Accordingly, and in a spirit of this duty as responsible and constructive citizens, we offer the following recommendations on national governance, citizens' rights, and social development:
1. A New Constitution. We should recast our present constitution, rescinding its provisions that contradict the principle that sovereignty resides with the people and turning it into a document that genuinely guarantees human rights, authorizes the exercise of public power, and serves as the legal underpinning of China's democratization. The constitution must be the highest law in the land, beyond violation by any individual, group, or political party.
2. Separation of Powers. We should construct a modern government in which the separation of legislative, judicial, and executive power is guaranteed. We need an Administrative Law that defines the scope of government responsibility and prevents abuse of administrative power. Government should be responsible to taxpayers. Division of power between provincial governments and the central government should adhere to the principle that central powers are only those specifically granted by the constitution and all other powers belong to the local governments.
3. Legislative Democracy. Members of legislative bodies at all levels should be chosen by direct election, and legislative democracy should observe just and impartial principles.
4. An Independent Judiciary. The rule of law must be above the interests of any particular political party and judges must be independent. We need to establish a constitutional supreme court and institute procedures for constitutional review. As soon as possible, we should abolish all of the Committees on Political and Legal Affairs that now allow Communist Party officials at every level to decide politically sensitive cases in advance and out of court. We should strictly forbid the use of public offices for private purposes.
5. Public Control of Public Servants. The military should be made answerable to the national government, not to a political party, and should be made more professional. Military personnel should swear allegiance to the constitution and remain nonpartisan. Political party organizations must be prohibited in the military. All public officials including police should serve as nonpartisans, and the current practice of favoring one political party in the hiring of public servants must end.
6. Guarantee of Human Rights. There must be strict guarantees of human rights and respect for human dignity. There should be a Human Rights Committee, responsible to the highest legislative body, that will prevent the government from abusing public power in violation of human rights. A democratic and constitutional China especially must guarantee the personal freedom of citizens. No one should suffer illegal arrest, detention, arraignment, interrogation, or punishment. The system of "Reeducation through Labor" must be abolished.
7. Election of Public Officials. There should be a comprehensive system of democratic elections based on "one person, one vote." The direct election of administrative heads at the levels of county, city, province, and nation should be systematically implemented. The rights to hold periodic free elections and to participate in them as a citizen are inalienable.
8. Rural–Urban Equality. The two-tier household registry system must be abolished. This system favors urban residents and harms rural residents. We should establish instead a system that gives every citizen the same constitutional rights and the same freedom to choose where to live.
9. Freedom to Form Groups. The right of citizens to form groups must be guaranteed. The current system for registering nongovernment groups, which requires a group to be "approved," should be replaced by a system in which a group simply registers itself. The formation of political parties should be governed by the constitution and the laws, which means that we must abolish the special privilege of one party to monopolize power and must guarantee principles of free and fair competition among political parties.
10. Freedom to Assemble. The constitution provides that peaceful assembly, demonstration, protest, and freedom of expression are fundamental rights of a citizen. The ruling party and the government must not be permitted to subject these to illegal interference or unconstitutional obstruction.
11. Freedom of Expression. We should make freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and academic freedom universal, thereby guaranteeing that citizens can be informed and can exercise their right of political supervision. These freedoms should be upheld by a Press Law that abolishes political restrictions on the press. The provision in the current Criminal Law that refers to "the crime of incitement to subvert state power" must be abolished. We should end the practice of viewing words as crimes.
12. Freedom of Religion. We must guarantee freedom of religion and belief, and institute a separation of religion and state. There must be no governmental interference in peaceful religious activities. We should abolish any laws, regulations, or local rules that limit or suppress the religious freedom of citizens. We should abolish the current system that requires religious groups (and their places of worship) to get official approval in advance and substitute for it a system in which registry is optional and, for those who choose to register, automatic.
13. Civic Education. In our schools we should abolish political curriculums and examinations that are designed to indoctrinate students in state ideology and to instill support for the rule of one party. We should replace them with civic education that advances universal values and citizens' rights, fosters civic consciousness, and promotes civic virtues that serve society.
14. Protection of Private Property. We should establish and protect the right to private property and promote an economic system of free and fair markets. We should do away with government monopolies in commerce and industry and guarantee the freedom to start new enterprises. We should establish a Committee on State-Owned Property, reporting to the national legislature, that will monitor the transfer of state-owned enterprises to private ownership in a fair, competitive, and orderly manner. We should institute a land reform that promotes private ownership of land, guarantees the right to buy and sell land, and allows the true value of private property to be adequately reflected in the market.
15. Financial and Tax Reform. We should establish a democratically regulated and accountable system of public finance that ensures the protection of taxpayer rights and that operates through legal procedures. We need a system by which public revenues that belong to a certain level of government—central, provincial, county or local—are controlled at that level. We need major tax reform that will abolish any unfair taxes, simplify the tax system, and spread the tax burden fairly. Government officials should not be able to raise taxes, or institute new ones, without public deliberation and the approval of a democratic assembly. We should reform the ownership system in order to encourage competition among a wider variety of market participants.
16. Social Security. We should establish a fair and adequate social security system that covers all citizens and ensures basic access to education, health care, retirement security, and employment.
17. Protection of the Environment. We need to protect the natural environment and to promote development in a way that is sustainable and responsible to our descendants and to the rest of humanity. This means insisting that the state and its officials at all levels not only do what they must do to achieve these goals, but also accept the supervision and participation of nongovernmental organizations.
18. A Federated Republic. A democratic China should seek to act as a responsible major power contributing toward peace and development in the Asian Pacific region by approaching others in a spirit of equality and fairness. In Hong Kong and Macao, we should support the freedoms that already exist. With respect to Taiwan, we should declare our commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy and then, negotiating as equals and ready to compromise, seek a formula for peaceful unification. We should approach disputes in the national-minority areas of China with an open mind, seeking ways to find a workable framework within which all ethnic and religious groups can flourish. We should aim ultimately at a federation of democratic communities of China.
19. Truth in Reconciliation. We should restore the reputations of all people, including their family members, who suffered political stigma in the political campaigns of the past or who have been labeled as criminals because of their thought, speech, or faith. The state should pay reparations to these people. All political prisoners and prisoners of conscience must be released. There should be a Truth Investigation Commission charged with finding the facts about past injustices and atrocities, determining responsibility for them, upholding justice, and, on these bases, seeking social reconciliation.
China, as a major nation of the world, as one of five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and as a member of the UN Council on Human Rights, should be contributing to peace for humankind and progress toward human rights. Unfortunately, we stand today as the only country among the major nations that remains mired in authoritarian politics. Our political system continues to produce human rights disasters and social crises, thereby not only constricting China's own development but also limiting the progress of all of human civilization. This must change, truly it must. The democratization of Chinese politics can be put off no longer.
Accordingly, we dare to put civic spirit into practice by announcing Charter 08. We hope that our fellow citizens who feel a similar sense of crisis, responsibility, and mission, whether they are inside the government or not, and regardless of their social status, will set aside small differences to embrace the broad goals of this citizens' movement. Together we can work for major changes in Chinese society and for the rapid establishment of a free, democratic, and constitutional country. We can bring to reality the goals and ideals that our people have incessantly been seeking for more than a hundred years, and can bring a brilliant new chapter to Chinese civilization.
—Translated from the Chinese by Perry Link
POSTSCRIPT
The planning and drafting of Charter 08 began in the late spring of 2008, but Chinese authorities were apparently unaware of it or unconcerned by it until several days before it was announced on December 10. On December 6, Wen Kejian, a writer who signed the charter, was detained in the city of Hangzhou in eastern China and questioned for about an hour. Police told Wen that Charter 08 was "different" from earlier dissident statements, and "a fairly grave matter." They said there would be a coordinated investigation in all cities and provinces to "root out the organizers," and they advised Wen to remove his name from the charter. Wen declined, telling the authorities that he saw the charter as a fundamental turning point in history.
Meanwhile, on December 8, in Shenzhen in the far south of China, police called on Zhao Dagong, a writer and signer of the charter, for a "chat." They told Zhao that the central authorities were concerned about the charter and asked if he was the organizer in the Shenzhen area.
Later on December 8, at 11 PM in Beijing, about twenty police entered the home of Zhang Zuhua, one of the charter's main drafters. A few of the police took Zhang with them to the local police station while the rest stayed and, as Zhang's wife watched, searched the home and confiscated books, notebooks, Zhang's passport, all four of the family's computers, and all of their cash and credit cards. (Later Zhang learned that his family's bank accounts, including those of both his and his wife's parents, had been emptied.) Meanwhile, at the police station, Zhang was detained for twelve hours, where he was questioned in detail about Charter 08 and the group Chinese Human Rights Defenders in which he is active.
It was also late on December 8 that another of the charter's signers, the literary critic and prominent dissident Liu Xiaobo, was taken away by police. His telephone in Beijing went unanswered, as did e-mail and Skype messages sent to him. As of the present writing, he's believed to be in police custody, although the details of his detention are not known.
On the morning of December 9, Beijing lawyer Pu Zhiqiang was called in for a police "chat," and in the evening the physicist and philosopher Jiang Qisheng was called in as well. Both had signed the charter and were friends of the drafters. On December 10—the day the charter was formally announced—the Hangzhou police returned to the home of Wen Kejian, the writer they had questioned four days earlier. This time they were more threatening. They told Wen he would face severe punishment if he wrote about the charter or about Liu Xiaobo's detention. "Do you want three years in prison?" they asked. "Or four?"
On December 11 the journalist Gao Yu and the writer Liu Di, both well-known in Beijing, were interrogated about their signing of the Charter. The rights lawyer, Teng Biao, was approached by the police but declined, on principle, to meet with them. On December 12 and 13 there were reports of interrogations in many provinces—Shaanxi, Hunan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and others—of people who had seen the charter on the Internet, found that they agreed with it, and signed. With these people the police focused on two questions: "How did you get involved?" and "What do you know about the drafters and organizers?"
The Chinese authorities seem unaware of the irony of their actions. Their efforts to quash Charter 08 only serve to underscore China's failure to uphold the very principles that the charter advances. The charter calls for "free expression" but the regime says, by its actions, that it has once again denied such expression. The charter calls for freedom to form groups, but the nationwide police actions that have accompanied the charter's release have specifically aimed at blocking the formation of a group. The charter says "we should end the practice of viewing words as crimes," and the regime says (literally, to Wen Kejian) "we can send you to prison for these words." The charter calls for the rule of law and the regime sends police in the middle of the night to act outside the law; the charter says "police should serve as nonpartisans," and here the police are plainly partisan.
Charter 08 is signed only by citizens of the People's Republic of China who are living inside China. But Chinese living outside China are signing a letter of strong support for the charter. The eminent historian Yu Ying-shih, the astrophysicist Fang Lizhi, writers Ha Jin and Zheng Yi, and more than 160 others have so far signed.
On December 12, the Dalai Lama issued his own letter in support of the charter, writing that "a harmonious society can only come into being when there is trust among the people, freedom from fear, freedom of expression, rule of law, justice, and equality." He called on the Chinese government to release prisoners "who have been detained for exercising their freedom of expression."
—Perry Link, December 18, 2008
起草人在宣言開頭解釋了發佈《零八憲章》的立場：
今年是中國立憲百年，《世界人權宣言》公布60周年，「民主牆」誕生30周年，中國政府簽署《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》10周年。在經歷了長期的人權災難和艱難曲折的抗爭歷程之後，覺醒的中國公民日漸清楚地認識到，自由、平等、人權是人類共同的普世價值；民主、共和、憲政是現代政治的基本制度架構。
過程
零八憲章由中國303名各界人士發起並簽署。為因應世界人權宣言60周年，中國的維權人士呼籲在自由、平等、人權的普世價值下，在中國實施民主、共和、憲政的現代政治架構。原定於2008年12月10日簽署《世界人權宣言》60周年這一天舉行論壇，並發表中國《零八憲章》。不過因為當局的逮捕行動而終止。
簽署者除發起人劉曉波以外，尚有鮑彤、丁子霖、戴晴、於浩成、浦志強、張祖樺、茅於軾、冉雲飛、劉逸明等，包括一些中國著名異見人士與維權人士。[5]
宣言內容
《零八憲章》分「前言」、「我們的基本理念」、「我們的基本主張」和「結語」等四部分，主要內容是闡述自由、人權、民主、憲政等概念，主張修改憲法、實行分權制衡，實現立法民主，司法獨立，主張結社、集會、言論、宗教自由，宣言共提出6點理念與19點的主張。
基本理念
* 自由：言論、出版、信仰、集會、結社、遷徙、罷工和遊行示威等權利
* 人權：人是國家的主體，國家服務於人民，政府為人民而存在。
* 平等：公民不論社會地位、職業、性別、經濟狀況、種族、膚色、宗教或政治信仰，其人格、尊嚴、自由都是平等的。
* 共和：要求「大家共治，和平共生」，分權制衡與利益平衡。
* 民主：主權在民和民選政府。
* 憲政：主張以法治限制政府權力和行為的邊界。
十九點基本主張
《零八憲章》提出了十九點基本主張，包括：
1. 修改憲法
2. 分權制衡
3. 立法民主
4. 司法獨立
5. 公器公用
6. 人權保障
7. 公職選舉
8. 城鄉平等
9. 結社自由
10. 集會自由
11. 言論自由
12. 宗教自由
13. 公民教育
14. 財產保護
15. 財稅改革
16. 社會保障
17. 環境保護
18. 聯邦共和
19. 轉型正義
內容觸及了政治改革、經濟改革、城鄉差距與環境保護等諸多方面。
政府壓制
《零八憲章》發布至今，不斷有人加入簽署者行列。與此同時，中國政府也在採取打壓行動。首先是《零八憲章》共同起草人之一劉曉波被起訴。北京大學法學院教授賀衛方最近被調往新疆石河子支教。雖然原因無法確定，但有人認為可能和憲章有關。另外一位在《零八憲章》上簽名的北大教授夏業良受到很大的壓力，在兩個學術組織的職務被撤銷。
其他許多簽署人也被警方傳喚，要求他們退出。據維權網報導，3月23日，四川自貢市簽署人羅世模被當地警方刑事傳喚，問及有關簽署《零八憲章》的情況。另外，廣東省韶關民運人士羅勇泉因為簽署《零八憲章》4月1日遭韶關市南雄縣國保大隊傳喚，這已經是半個月來第二次。
據很多簽署人反映，警方在傳訊他們的時候都做了筆錄，問話內容圍繞《零八憲章》共同起草人劉曉波以及簽署前後的情況。
在海外，該聲明則得到了余英時、哈金、陳一諮、方勵之、胡平、宋永毅、蘇曉康、萬潤南、王丹等多位著名人士的支持。
簽署人表示，他們這樣做，是為了表達他們就中國未來向何處去這個問題的一種共識，希望民眾了解他們的民主訴求，但他們並不奢求能夠很快實現所追求的目標.
中共在國內各媒體網站對此憲章全面封鎖，禁止報導。有消息稱北京大學法學院以黨委名義發布群郵件要求該院學生抵制零八憲章。
國際反應
2009年3月11日，在布拉格開幕的2009年「同一個世界」人權電影節開幕式上，捷克前總統哈維爾親自將「人與人」（Homo Homini）人權獎授予劉曉波和《零八憲章》簽署群體。由於劉曉波因故不能出席，參與簽署《零八憲章》的中國哲學家徐友漁、學者崔衛平和律師莫少平代替劉曉波接受了這一獎項。
China's Charter 08
Translated from the Chinese by Perry Link
The document below, signed by more than two thousand Chinese citizens, was conceived and written in conscious admiration of the founding of Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia, where, in January 1977, more than two hundred Czech and Slovak intellectuals formed a
loose, informal, and open association of people...united by the will to strive individually and collectively for respect for human and civil rights in our country and throughout the world.
The Chinese document calls not for ameliorative reform of the current political system but for an end to some of its essential features, including one-party rule, and their replacement with a system based on human rights and democracy.
The prominent citizens who have signed the document are from both outside and inside the government, and include not only well-known dissidents and intellectuals, but also middle-level officials and rural leaders. They chose December 10, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as the day on which to express their political ideas and to outline their vision of a constitutional, democratic China. They want Charter 08 to serve as a blueprint for fundamental political change in China in the years to come. The signers of the document will form an informal group, open-ended in size but united by a determination to promote democratization and protection of human rights in China and beyond.
Following the text is a postscript describing some of the regime's recent reactions to it.
—Perry Link
I. FOREWORD
A hundred years have passed since the writing of China's first constitution. 2008 also marks the sixtieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the thirtieth anniversary of the appearance of the Democracy Wall in Beijing, and the tenth of China's signing of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We are approaching the twentieth anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre of pro-democracy student protesters. The Chinese people, who have endured human rights disasters and uncountable struggles across these same years, now include many who see clearly that freedom, equality, and human rights are universal values of humankind and that democracy and constitutional government are the fundamental framework for protecting these values.
By departing from these values, the Chinese government's approach to "modernization" has proven disastrous. It has stripped people of their rights, destroyed their dignity, and corrupted normal human intercourse. So we ask: Where is China headed in the twenty-first century? Will it continue with "modernization" under authoritarian rule, or will it embrace universal human values, join the mainstream of civilized nations, and build a democratic system? There can be no avoiding these questions.
The shock of the Western impact upon China in the nineteenth century laid bare a decadent authoritarian system and marked the beginning of what is often called "the greatest changes in thousands of years" for China. A "self-strengthening movement" followed, but this aimed simply at appropriating the technology to build gunboats and other Western material objects. China's humiliating naval defeat at the hands of Japan in 1895 only confirmed the obsolescence of China's system of government. The first attempts at modern political change came with the ill-fated summer of reforms in 1898, but these were cruelly crushed by ultraconservatives at China's imperial court. With the revolution of 1911, which inaugurated Asia's first republic, the authoritarian imperial system that had lasted for centuries was finally supposed to have been laid to rest. But social conflict inside our country and external pressures were to prevent it; China fell into a patchwork of warlord fiefdoms and the new republic became a fleeting dream.
The failure of both "self- strengthening" and political renovation caused many of our forebears to reflect deeply on whether a "cultural illness" was afflicting our country. This mood gave rise, during the May Fourth Movement of the late 1910s, to the championing of "science and democracy." Yet that effort, too, foundered as warlord chaos persisted and the Japanese invasion [beginning in Manchuria in 1931] brought national crisis.
Victory over Japan in 1945 offered one more chance for China to move toward modern government, but the Communist defeat of the Nationalists in the civil war thrust the nation into the abyss of totalitarianism. The "new China" that emerged in 1949 proclaimed that "the people are sovereign" but in fact set up a system in which "the Party is all-powerful." The Communist Party of China seized control of all organs of the state and all political, economic, and social resources, and, using these, has produced a long trail of human rights disasters, including, among many others, the Anti-Rightist Campaign (1957), the Great Leap Forward (1958–1960), the Cultural Revolution (1966–1969), the June Fourth [Tiananmen Square] Massacre (1989), and the current repression of all unauthorized religions and the suppression of the weiquan rights movement [a movement that aims to defend citizens' rights promulgated in the Chinese Constitution and to fight for human rights recognized by international conventions that the Chinese government has signed]. During all this, the Chinese people have paid a gargantuan price. Tens of millions have lost their lives, and several generations have seen their freedom, their happiness, and their human dignity cruelly trampled.
During the last two decades of the twentieth century the government policy of "Reform and Opening" gave the Chinese people relief from the pervasive poverty and totalitarianism of the Mao Zedong era, and brought substantial increases in the wealth and living standards of many Chinese as well as a partial restoration of economic freedom and economic rights. Civil society began to grow, and popular calls for more rights and more political freedom have grown apace. As the ruling elite itself moved toward private ownership and the market economy, it began to shift from an outright rejection of "rights" to a partial acknowledgment of them.
In 1998 the Chinese government signed two important international human rights conventions; in 2004 it amended its constitution to include the phrase "respect and protect human rights"; and this year, 2008, it has promised to promote a "national human rights action plan." Unfortunately most of this political progress has extended no further than the paper on which it is written. The political reality, which is plain for anyone to see, is that China has many laws but no rule of law; it has a constitution but no constitutional government. The ruling elite continues to cling to its authoritarian power and fights off any move toward political change.
The stultifying results are endemic official corruption, an undermining of the rule of law, weak human rights, decay in public ethics, crony capitalism, growing inequality between the wealthy and the poor, pillage of the natural environment as well as of the human and historical environments, and the exacerbation of a long list of social conflicts, especially, in recent times, a sharpening animosity between officials and ordinary people.
As these conflicts and crises grow ever more intense, and as the ruling elite continues with impunity to crush and to strip away the rights of citizens to freedom, to property, and to the pursuit of happiness, we see the powerless in our society—the vulnerable groups, the people who have been suppressed and monitored, who have suffered cruelty and even torture, and who have had no adequate avenues for their protests, no courts to hear their pleas—becoming more militant and raising the possibility of a violent conflict of disastrous proportions. The decline of the current system has reached the point where change is no longer optional.
II. OUR FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
This is a historic moment for China, and our future hangs in the balance. In reviewing the political modernization process of the past hundred years or more, we reiterate and endorse basic universal values as follows:
Freedom. Freedom is at the core of universal human values. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom in where to live, and the freedoms to strike, to demonstrate, and to protest, among others, are the forms that freedom takes. Without freedom, China will always remain far from civilized ideals.
Human rights. Human rights are not bestowed by a state. Every person is born with inherent rights to dignity and freedom. The government exists for the protection of the human rights of its citizens. The exercise of state power must be authorized by the people. The succession of political disasters in China's recent history is a direct consequence of the ruling regime's disregard for human rights.
Equality. The integrity, dignity, and freedom of every person—regardless of social station, occupation, sex, economic condition, ethnicity, skin color, religion, or political belief—are the same as those of any other. Principles of equality before the law and equality of social, economic, cultural, civil, and political rights must be upheld.
Republicanism. Republicanism, which holds that power should be balanced among different branches of government and competing interests should be served, resembles the traditional Chinese political ideal of "fairness in all under heaven." It allows different interest groups and social assemblies, and people with a variety of cultures and beliefs, to exercise democratic self-government and to deliberate in order to reach peaceful resolution of public questions on a basis of equal access to government and free and fair competition.
Democracy. The most fundamental principles of democracy are that the people are sovereign and the people select their government. Democracy has these characteristics: (1) Political power begins with the people and the legitimacy of a regime derives from the people. (2) Political power is exercised through choices that the people make. (3) The holders of major official posts in government at all levels are determined through periodic competitive elections. (4) While honoring the will of the majority, the fundamental dignity, freedom, and human rights of minorities are protected. In short, democracy is a modern means for achieving government truly "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
Constitutional rule. Constitutional rule is rule through a legal system and legal regulations to implement principles that are spelled out in a constitution. It means protecting the freedom and the rights of citizens, limiting and defining the scope of legitimate government power, and providing the administrative apparatus necessary to serve these ends.
III. WHAT WE ADVOCATE
Authoritarianism is in general decline throughout the world; in China, too, the era of emperors and overlords is on the way out. The time is arriving everywhere for citizens to be masters of states. For China the path that leads out of our current predicament is to divest ourselves of the authoritarian notion of reliance on an "enlightened overlord" or an "honest official" and to turn instead toward a system of liberties, democracy, and the rule of law, and toward fostering the consciousness of modern citizens who see rights as fundamental and participation as a duty. Accordingly, and in a spirit of this duty as responsible and constructive citizens, we offer the following recommendations on national governance, citizens' rights, and social development:
1. A New Constitution. We should recast our present constitution, rescinding its provisions that contradict the principle that sovereignty resides with the people and turning it into a document that genuinely guarantees human rights, authorizes the exercise of public power, and serves as the legal underpinning of China's democratization. The constitution must be the highest law in the land, beyond violation by any individual, group, or political party.
2. Separation of Powers. We should construct a modern government in which the separation of legislative, judicial, and executive power is guaranteed. We need an Administrative Law that defines the scope of government responsibility and prevents abuse of administrative power. Government should be responsible to taxpayers. Division of power between provincial governments and the central government should adhere to the principle that central powers are only those specifically granted by the constitution and all other powers belong to the local governments.
3. Legislative Democracy. Members of legislative bodies at all levels should be chosen by direct election, and legislative democracy should observe just and impartial principles.
4. An Independent Judiciary. The rule of law must be above the interests of any particular political party and judges must be independent. We need to establish a constitutional supreme court and institute procedures for constitutional review. As soon as possible, we should abolish all of the Committees on Political and Legal Affairs that now allow Communist Party officials at every level to decide politically sensitive cases in advance and out of court. We should strictly forbid the use of public offices for private purposes.
5. Public Control of Public Servants. The military should be made answerable to the national government, not to a political party, and should be made more professional. Military personnel should swear allegiance to the constitution and remain nonpartisan. Political party organizations must be prohibited in the military. All public officials including police should serve as nonpartisans, and the current practice of favoring one political party in the hiring of public servants must end.
6. Guarantee of Human Rights. There must be strict guarantees of human rights and respect for human dignity. There should be a Human Rights Committee, responsible to the highest legislative body, that will prevent the government from abusing public power in violation of human rights. A democratic and constitutional China especially must guarantee the personal freedom of citizens. No one should suffer illegal arrest, detention, arraignment, interrogation, or punishment. The system of "Reeducation through Labor" must be abolished.
7. Election of Public Officials. There should be a comprehensive system of democratic elections based on "one person, one vote." The direct election of administrative heads at the levels of county, city, province, and nation should be systematically implemented. The rights to hold periodic free elections and to participate in them as a citizen are inalienable.
8. Rural–Urban Equality. The two-tier household registry system must be abolished. This system favors urban residents and harms rural residents. We should establish instead a system that gives every citizen the same constitutional rights and the same freedom to choose where to live.
9. Freedom to Form Groups. The right of citizens to form groups must be guaranteed. The current system for registering nongovernment groups, which requires a group to be "approved," should be replaced by a system in which a group simply registers itself. The formation of political parties should be governed by the constitution and the laws, which means that we must abolish the special privilege of one party to monopolize power and must guarantee principles of free and fair competition among political parties.
10. Freedom to Assemble. The constitution provides that peaceful assembly, demonstration, protest, and freedom of expression are fundamental rights of a citizen. The ruling party and the government must not be permitted to subject these to illegal interference or unconstitutional obstruction.
11. Freedom of Expression. We should make freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and academic freedom universal, thereby guaranteeing that citizens can be informed and can exercise their right of political supervision. These freedoms should be upheld by a Press Law that abolishes political restrictions on the press. The provision in the current Criminal Law that refers to "the crime of incitement to subvert state power" must be abolished. We should end the practice of viewing words as crimes.
12. Freedom of Religion. We must guarantee freedom of religion and belief, and institute a separation of religion and state. There must be no governmental interference in peaceful religious activities. We should abolish any laws, regulations, or local rules that limit or suppress the religious freedom of citizens. We should abolish the current system that requires religious groups (and their places of worship) to get official approval in advance and substitute for it a system in which registry is optional and, for those who choose to register, automatic.
13. Civic Education. In our schools we should abolish political curriculums and examinations that are designed to indoctrinate students in state ideology and to instill support for the rule of one party. We should replace them with civic education that advances universal values and citizens' rights, fosters civic consciousness, and promotes civic virtues that serve society.
14. Protection of Private Property. We should establish and protect the right to private property and promote an economic system of free and fair markets. We should do away with government monopolies in commerce and industry and guarantee the freedom to start new enterprises. We should establish a Committee on State-Owned Property, reporting to the national legislature, that will monitor the transfer of state-owned enterprises to private ownership in a fair, competitive, and orderly manner. We should institute a land reform that promotes private ownership of land, guarantees the right to buy and sell land, and allows the true value of private property to be adequately reflected in the market.
15. Financial and Tax Reform. We should establish a democratically regulated and accountable system of public finance that ensures the protection of taxpayer rights and that operates through legal procedures. We need a system by which public revenues that belong to a certain level of government—central, provincial, county or local—are controlled at that level. We need major tax reform that will abolish any unfair taxes, simplify the tax system, and spread the tax burden fairly. Government officials should not be able to raise taxes, or institute new ones, without public deliberation and the approval of a democratic assembly. We should reform the ownership system in order to encourage competition among a wider variety of market participants.
16. Social Security. We should establish a fair and adequate social security system that covers all citizens and ensures basic access to education, health care, retirement security, and employment.
17. Protection of the Environment. We need to protect the natural environment and to promote development in a way that is sustainable and responsible to our descendants and to the rest of humanity. This means insisting that the state and its officials at all levels not only do what they must do to achieve these goals, but also accept the supervision and participation of nongovernmental organizations.
18. A Federated Republic. A democratic China should seek to act as a responsible major power contributing toward peace and development in the Asian Pacific region by approaching others in a spirit of equality and fairness. In Hong Kong and Macao, we should support the freedoms that already exist. With respect to Taiwan, we should declare our commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy and then, negotiating as equals and ready to compromise, seek a formula for peaceful unification. We should approach disputes in the national-minority areas of China with an open mind, seeking ways to find a workable framework within which all ethnic and religious groups can flourish. We should aim ultimately at a federation of democratic communities of China.
19. Truth in Reconciliation. We should restore the reputations of all people, including their family members, who suffered political stigma in the political campaigns of the past or who have been labeled as criminals because of their thought, speech, or faith. The state should pay reparations to these people. All political prisoners and prisoners of conscience must be released. There should be a Truth Investigation Commission charged with finding the facts about past injustices and atrocities, determining responsibility for them, upholding justice, and, on these bases, seeking social reconciliation.
China, as a major nation of the world, as one of five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and as a member of the UN Council on Human Rights, should be contributing to peace for humankind and progress toward human rights. Unfortunately, we stand today as the only country among the major nations that remains mired in authoritarian politics. Our political system continues to produce human rights disasters and social crises, thereby not only constricting China's own development but also limiting the progress of all of human civilization. This must change, truly it must. The democratization of Chinese politics can be put off no longer.
Accordingly, we dare to put civic spirit into practice by announcing Charter 08. We hope that our fellow citizens who feel a similar sense of crisis, responsibility, and mission, whether they are inside the government or not, and regardless of their social status, will set aside small differences to embrace the broad goals of this citizens' movement. Together we can work for major changes in Chinese society and for the rapid establishment of a free, democratic, and constitutional country. We can bring to reality the goals and ideals that our people have incessantly been seeking for more than a hundred years, and can bring a brilliant new chapter to Chinese civilization.
—Translated from the Chinese by Perry Link
POSTSCRIPT
The planning and drafting of Charter 08 began in the late spring of 2008, but Chinese authorities were apparently unaware of it or unconcerned by it until several days before it was announced on December 10. On December 6, Wen Kejian, a writer who signed the charter, was detained in the city of Hangzhou in eastern China and questioned for about an hour. Police told Wen that Charter 08 was "different" from earlier dissident statements, and "a fairly grave matter." They said there would be a coordinated investigation in all cities and provinces to "root out the organizers," and they advised Wen to remove his name from the charter. Wen declined, telling the authorities that he saw the charter as a fundamental turning point in history.
Meanwhile, on December 8, in Shenzhen in the far south of China, police called on Zhao Dagong, a writer and signer of the charter, for a "chat." They told Zhao that the central authorities were concerned about the charter and asked if he was the organizer in the Shenzhen area.
Later on December 8, at 11 PM in Beijing, about twenty police entered the home of Zhang Zuhua, one of the charter's main drafters. A few of the police took Zhang with them to the local police station while the rest stayed and, as Zhang's wife watched, searched the home and confiscated books, notebooks, Zhang's passport, all four of the family's computers, and all of their cash and credit cards. (Later Zhang learned that his family's bank accounts, including those of both his and his wife's parents, had been emptied.) Meanwhile, at the police station, Zhang was detained for twelve hours, where he was questioned in detail about Charter 08 and the group Chinese Human Rights Defenders in which he is active.
It was also late on December 8 that another of the charter's signers, the literary critic and prominent dissident Liu Xiaobo, was taken away by police. His telephone in Beijing went unanswered, as did e-mail and Skype messages sent to him. As of the present writing, he's believed to be in police custody, although the details of his detention are not known.
On the morning of December 9, Beijing lawyer Pu Zhiqiang was called in for a police "chat," and in the evening the physicist and philosopher Jiang Qisheng was called in as well. Both had signed the charter and were friends of the drafters. On December 10—the day the charter was formally announced—the Hangzhou police returned to the home of Wen Kejian, the writer they had questioned four days earlier. This time they were more threatening. They told Wen he would face severe punishment if he wrote about the charter or about Liu Xiaobo's detention. "Do you want three years in prison?" they asked. "Or four?"
On December 11 the journalist Gao Yu and the writer Liu Di, both well-known in Beijing, were interrogated about their signing of the Charter. The rights lawyer, Teng Biao, was approached by the police but declined, on principle, to meet with them. On December 12 and 13 there were reports of interrogations in many provinces—Shaanxi, Hunan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and others—of people who had seen the charter on the Internet, found that they agreed with it, and signed. With these people the police focused on two questions: "How did you get involved?" and "What do you know about the drafters and organizers?"
The Chinese authorities seem unaware of the irony of their actions. Their efforts to quash Charter 08 only serve to underscore China's failure to uphold the very principles that the charter advances. The charter calls for "free expression" but the regime says, by its actions, that it has once again denied such expression. The charter calls for freedom to form groups, but the nationwide police actions that have accompanied the charter's release have specifically aimed at blocking the formation of a group. The charter says "we should end the practice of viewing words as crimes," and the regime says (literally, to Wen Kejian) "we can send you to prison for these words." The charter calls for the rule of law and the regime sends police in the middle of the night to act outside the law; the charter says "police should serve as nonpartisans," and here the police are plainly partisan.
Charter 08 is signed only by citizens of the People's Republic of China who are living inside China. But Chinese living outside China are signing a letter of strong support for the charter. The eminent historian Yu Ying-shih, the astrophysicist Fang Lizhi, writers Ha Jin and Zheng Yi, and more than 160 others have so far signed.
On December 12, the Dalai Lama issued his own letter in support of the charter, writing that "a harmonious society can only come into being when there is trust among the people, freedom from fear, freedom of expression, rule of law, justice, and equality." He called on the Chinese government to release prisoners "who have been detained for exercising their freedom of expression."
—Perry Link, December 18, 2008