«Il est de votre devoir de garantir les droits des citoyens que vous représentez»: c'est en ces termes qu'un groupe d'universitaires internationaux (dont je suis), spécialistes de la Chine, demande aux députés de l'Assemblée nationale du Peuple de «libérer immédiatement sans conditions» Liu Xiaobo, prisonnier depuis décembre 2009.
Le jour de Noël 2009, Liu Xiaobo a été condamné à 11 ans de prison pour «incitation à la subversion du pouvoir d'Etat» pour avoir été l'un des principaux auteurs de la Charte 08, un texte modelé sur la Charte 77 tchécoslovaque, qui demandait l'institution d'une véritable démocratie en Chine –signé par des milliers de personnes. Le verdict mentionne aussi six articles qu'il a rédigés. Dans sa défense devant le tribunal, Liu Xiaobo a affirmé: «J'espère que je serai le dernier prisonnier d'opinion en Chine». Car il s'agit bien évidemment d'un délit d'opinion.
Un certain nombre de spécialistes de la Chine ont donc décidé d'adresser une pétition à tous les députés et au président de l'Assemblée populaire chinoise dont la session s'est ouverte vendredi 5 mars pour 15 jours. L'APN étant chargée de faire respecter la constitution, il leur a semblé qu'il était indispensable de l'envoyer à cette période.
Voici le texte (en anglais) de cette lettre. La liste des signataires est à consulter sur le site de Human Rights Watch.
«Dear Chairman Wu Bangguo,
Dear Deputies to the National People's Congress,
We, the undersigned scholars, writers, lawyers and human rights advocates, write to ask you to intervene to protect literary critic and former professor Liu Xiaobo who was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25, 2009 for "incitement to subvert state power" (article 105.2 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China).
Liu's "crime" was writing and circulating six articles on the internet which criticized communist party rule and "colluding with others to draft and concoct "Charter 08", a petition calling for greater respect for the rule of law and human rights in China. Charter 08 was released on December 10, 2009, a date celebrated worldwide as Human Rights Day. Dr. Liu was arrested two days earlier.
We believe that Dr. Liu was arrested solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed under China's constitution and by international law. We believe further that the crime of incitement to subvert state power as currently defined in Chinese law violates international human rights standards.
Dr. Liu's activities have always been peaceful and in accordance with the law. In recent years, his reputation has grown as his essays on current affairs in China and his principled defense of human rights and democracy circulated widely. Dr. Liu has consistently opposed recourse to violence. In his articles, he has lauded amendments to the Chinese constitution that stipulate respect for human rights and property rights. He has written strongly in favor of the development of a free civil society in China.
The National People's Congress is the highest organ of state power of the People's Republic of China. It supervises enforcement of the constitution (Article 62 (2)). Therefore, it is your duty to ensure that the basic rights of the Chinese citizens that you represent are guaranteed. By pressing for the release of Dr. Liu you will honor yourselves and demonstrate that China is serious about its intention to achieve a rule of law.
For the international community to take seriously China's oft-stated commitment to respect human rights and the rule of law, and for China's own citizens to trust the judicial system to redress legitimate grievances, it is urgent that China's National People's Congress ensure that no one is sent to prison simply for the peaceful expression of his or her views.
It is equally urgent that judicial authorities throughout China cease to use China's anti-subversion law to prosecute peaceful critics such as Dr. Liu. He should be released immediately without conditions.
Sincerely,
The signatories»