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NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo
National People's Congress Standing Committee
General office of the National People's Congress
23 Xijiaominxiang
Xicheng Disctrict
Beijing 100805
P.R.C

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 and overthrow the socialist system" (Article 105 of the Criminal Law of the People¹s 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, 2008, 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). Therefore, it is your duty as delegates 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,


Elisabeth Allès
Director, Centre for the Study of Modern and Contemporary China
School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences
France

Vivianne Alleton
Professor of Chinese Linguistics
School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences
France

Geremie R. Barmé
Professor of Chinese History
Federation Fellow, College of Asia & the Pacific
Australian National University
Australia

Richard Baum
Professor of Political Sciences
University of California in Los Angeles
USA

Jean-Philippe Béja
Senior Research Fellow
National Centre for Scientific Research Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France
French Centre of Research on Contemporary China
Hong Kong

Bernard Bernier
Professor, Department of Anthropology
Université de Montréal
Canada

Lucien Bianco
Director of Studies, Chinese History
School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences
France

Igor Blazevic
Founder
One World Human Rights Film Festival
Czech Republic

Board of International Pen
John Ralston Saul, President
Eugene Schoulgin, International Secretary
Eric Lax, Treasurer
Mike Butscher, Board Member
Markéta Hejkalová, Board Member
Takeaki Hori, Board Member
Yang Lian, Board Member
Mohamed Magani, Board Member
Kristin T. Schnider, Board Member
Haroon Siddiqui, Board Member
Marian Botsford Fraser, Chair, Writers in Prison Committee

Michel Bonnin
Director of Studies, Chinese History
School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences
France

Susanne Brandtstädter
Professor of Social Anthropology
University of Oslo
Norway

Vincent Brossel
Head, Asia-Pacific Desk
Reporters Sans Frontières
France

Astrid von Busekist
Professor of Political Sciences
Sciences-Po
France

Jean-Pierre Cabestan
Professor and Head, Department of Government and International Studies
Hong Kong Baptist University
Hong Kong

William A. Callahan
Chair in International Politics
Co-Director, British Inter-University China Centre
University of Manchester
UK

Antonela Capelle-Pogacean
Research Fellow
National Centre for Scientific Research, Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Joseph Y.S. Cheng
Director, Contemporary China Research Project
City University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Leila Choukroune
Assistant Professor of Law
Maastricht University
Netherlands

Myriam Choukroune
Lawyer
France

Marcello Cini
Professor of Physics Emeritus
La Sapienza University
Italy

John Clancey
International Secretary
China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group
Hong Kong

Jerome A. Cohen
Professor, Co-Director, US-Asia Law Institute
NYU Law School
USA

Samy Cohen
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Alison W. Conner
Professor of Law, Director of International Programs
University of Hawaii
USA

Fons Coomans
UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Peace
Head, Department of International and European Law
Coordinator, Center Maastricht Centre for Human Rights
Faculty of Law
Maastricht University
Netherlands

Kelley E. Currie
Senior Fellow
The Project 2049 Institute
USA

Béatrice David
Professor of Anthropology
Paris-8 University
France

Michael C. Davis
Professor of Law
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Jean-Luc Domenach
Senior Researcher
Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Jean-François Doulet
University Paris-East
France

June Teufel Dreyer
Professor, Department of Political Science
University of Miami
USA

Clayton Dube
University of Southern California
USA

Ryan Dunch
Associate Professor of History and Classics
University of Alberta
Canada

Noël Dutrait
Professor of Chinese Language and Literature
Provence University
France

Halvor Eifring
Professor of Chinese
University of Oslo
Norway

Guilhem Fabre
Professor
Le Havre University
France

Fredrik Fällman
Researcher, Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities
Stockholm University
Sweden

Feng Chongyi
Deputy Director, China Research Centre
University of Technology, Sydney
Australia

Stéphane Feuillas
Assistant Professor of Chinese Classical Studies
Paris-Diderot University
France

Arié Finkelstein
Engineer
Higher Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineering (ESIEE)
France

Stephen FitzGerald
Director, Research Strategy
University of Technology
Australia

Éric Florence
Researcher, Centre for Ethnic and Migration Studies
University of Liège
Belgium

Helmut Forster
Sinologist, Translator, and Publicist
Germany

Edward Friedman
Professor of Political Science
University of Wisconsin
USA

Chloé Froissart
Associate Professor of Chinese Studies
Rennes II
France

Felice Gaer
Director
Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights
USA

Dru C. Gladney
President, Pacific Basin Institute
Pomona College
USA

Merle Goldman
Professor Emerita, Boston University
Associate, Fairbank Center Harvard University
USA

Florence Graezer-Bideau
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
University of Lausanne
Switzerland

Lars Grahn
Retired Managing Director, Swedish publishing house Natur och Kultur
Former President, Swedish Publishers Association
Board Member, International Publishers Association (IPA)
Former President, IPA Freedom to Publish Committee
Sweden

Nadine Gordimer
Nobel Laureate in Literature
South Africa

Tyrell Haberkorn
Research Fellow
Australian National University
Australia

Mette Halskov Hansen
Professor of China Studies
University of Oslo
Norway

Marie Holzman
Writer and Sinologist
France

Sharon Hom
Executive Director
Human Rights in China
USA

Hu Dong
Poet
London

Jean-François Huchet
Associate Professor of Economics
Rennes II University
France

Bruce Jacobs
Professor of Asian Languages
Monash University
Australia

Christophe Jaffrelot
Senior Research Fellow
National Centre for Scientific Research-Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Paul Jobin
Director, Centre for International Studies and Research, Taipei office
Associate Professor, Paris Diderot University
France

Marja Kaikkonen
Associate Professor
Stockholm University
Sweden

Pierre Kaser
Associate Professor
Provence University
France

Lucina Kathmann
International Vice-President, International PEN
Novelist and Essayist
Mexico

David Kelly
Professor of China Studies
University of Technology
Australia

Ann Kent
Visiting Fellow, Centre for International and Public Law
Australian National University
Australia

John Kleinen
Associate Professor of Anthropology
University of Amsterdam
Netherlands

Richard Kraus
Professor Emeritus of Political Science
University of Oregon
USA

Jeri Laber
Writer
Founding Member Human Rights Watch
USA

Andre Laliberté
Associate Professor, School of Political Studies
University of Ottawa
Canada

Willy Lam
Professor of Chinese Studies
Akita International University
Japan

Jean Leca
Professor Emeritus of Political Science
Sciences-Po
France

Joanne Leedom-Ackerman
Vice-President
International PEN
USA

Anne-Marie Le Gloannec
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Steven I. Levine
Associate Director, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center
University of Montana
USA

Nancy Li
Fédération Internationale des Droits de l'homme
France

Li Xiaorong
Senior Researcher, Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy
University of Maryland
USA

Cecilia Lindqvist
Writer
Sweden

Perry Link
Chancellorial Chair for Innovation in Teaching Across Disciplines
University of California, Riverside
USA

Baisha Liu
Lecturer in Chinese
University of Oslo
Norway

Torbjörn Lodén
Professor of Chinese Language and Culture
Stockholm University
Sweden

Stanley Lubman
Lecturer in Residence
University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
USA

Ma Jian
Writer
UK

Roderick MacFarquhar
Harvard University
USA

Arien Mack
Marrow Professor of Psychology, Editor Social Research
New School for Social Research
USA

Richard Madsen
Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology
University of California, San Diego
USA

Victor H. Mair
Professor of Chinese Language and Literature
University of Pennsylvania
USA

N.G.D. Malmqvist
Member
Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities
Sweden

James Mann
Author
USA

Nonna Mayer
Senior Research Fellow
National Centre for Scientific Research-Sciences-Po
France

Barrett L. McCormick
Professor, Political Science Department
Marquette University
USA

Françoise Mengin
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Guy Michelat
Senior Research Fellow Emeritus
National Centre for Scientific Research
France

Alice Lyman Miller
Research Fellow, Hoover Institution
Stanford University
USA

Andrew Miller
Senior Editor, Alfred A. Knopf
Member, International Freedom to Publish Committee
USA

Setsuo Miyazawa
Professor
Aoyama Gakuin University Law School
Japan

Martine Morier
Executive Editor, Cahiers d'Études Africaines
School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences
France

Robin Munro
Deputy Director
China Labour Bulletin
Hong Kong

Andrew Nathan
Class of 1919 Professor of Political Science
Columbia University
USA

Christine Pagnoulle
Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Translation
University of Liège
Belgium

Jenyu Peng
Assistant Researcher
Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica
Taiwan

Martyne Perrot
Research Fellow, National Centre for Scientific Research
Centre Edgar Morin
France

Sandrine Perrot
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Eva Pils
Associate Professor, Faculty of Law
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Patrick Kar-wai Poon
Executive Secretary
China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group
Hong Kong

Karoline Postel-Vinay
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Marie-France Raflin
Research Fellow
National Centre for Scientific Research
France

Ren Wanding
Researcher
France

Sophie Richardson
Asia Advocacy Director
Human Rights Watch
USA

Ole Bjørn Rongen
Professor of Journalism
University of Stavanger
Norway

Kenneth Roth
Executive Director
Human Rights Watch
USA

Elisa Rotino
Lecturer in History and Civilization of Far East
Università L'Orientale
Italy

Alain Roux
University Professor Emeritus
France

Salman Rushdie
Author
USA

Cara N. Schlesinger
Managing Editor and Project Manager
Social Research Journal
USA

Mark Selden
Senior Research Associate, Cornell University
Coodinator, The Pacific Journal
USA

Jacques Seurre
Journalist and Sinologist
France

James D. Seymour
Adjunct Senior Research Scholar
Columbia University
USA

Satoru Shinomiya
Professor
Kokugakuin University Law School
Japan

Joel Simon
Executive Director
Committee to Protect Journalists
USA

Dorothy Solinger
Professor of Political Science
University of California, Irvine
USA

Song Yongyi
Librarian
California State University
USA

Elliot Sperling
Indiana University
USA

Joseph Studwell
Writer
USA

Rune Svarverud
Professor
University of Oslo
Norway

Marek Svoboda
Director, Center for Democracy and Human Rights
People in Need
Czech Republic

Stig Thøgersen
Professor of China Studies
Aarhus University
Denmark

Anna di Toro
Lecturer in Chinese Language, Literature and History
Università per Stranieri di Siena
Italy

Steve Tsang
Professorial Fellow
St Antony's College, Oxford
UK

Jonathan Unger
Professor, Contemporary China Centre
Australian National University
Australia

Sebastian Veg
Researcher
French Centre of Research on Contemporary China
Hong Kong

Rudolf G. Wagner
Senior Professor, Chinese Studies, University of Heidelberg
Director, Cluster of Excellence "Asia and Europe in a Global Context"
Germany

Wang Longmeng
Actor
France

Anne Wedell-Wedellsborg
Professor of China Studies
Aarhus University
Denmark

Catherine de Wenden
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for International Studies and Research-Sciences-Po
France

Wendy Wolf
Editorial Director, Nonfiction
Viking Penguin
USA

Guoguang Wu
Chair in China and Asia-Pacific Relations
University of Victoria
Canada

Zhang Ning
Senior Lecturer
University of Geneva
Switzerland

Zhang Yu
Executive Secretary
Independent Chinese PEN Center
Sweden

Sam Zarifi
Director, Asia Pacific Region
Amnesty International
UK

Kate Zhou
Associate Professor of Political Science
University of Hawaii
USA

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