A Joint Statement on the Trial of Dr Liu Xiaobo
We, the undersigned, are extremely outraged at the news that Dr. Liu Xiaobo, the best-known dissident writer and one of the most renowned intellectuals in China, is to be tried in Beijing in a few days solely for his writings.
We strongly condemn this most recent move of Chinese regime to signify its increasing challenge to the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights regardless of the widespread international and domestic criticisms of its ruthless violations of Chinese citizens¡¯ rights in general and continuous detention of Dr. Liu Xiaobo in particular.
Dr. Liu Xiaobo, an internationally-recognized literary critic and political commentator as well as the former and Honorary President of Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC), has been detained since 8 December 2008 and was indicted a year later on 11 December 2009 on ‘inciting subversion of state power’ for initiating and drafting Charter 08, a petition for constitutional reform in China that has been so far cosigned by more than 10,000 Chinese citizens, as well as for criticizing Chinese Communist regime in six articles of his publications since 2005.
It is reported now that Dr. Liu is to be tried by the Beijing First Intermediate People’s Court in a few days.
We believe that to try Dr. Liu Xiaobo is not only to unscrupulously abuse the rule of law, but also to try all of us who share with Dr. Liu the responsibility to exercise the freedom of expression anywhere in the world.
Therefore, we call on all the communities, institutions and individuals in solidarity to press the Chinese authorities for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Liu Xiaobo.
Co-signed by:
Independent Chinese PEN Center
PEN American Center
Swiss German PEN
PEN Center USA
Sydney PEN
Melbourne PEN