Charter 08 -- why Liu Xiaobo was imprisoned

[Elmore Furth]

Charter 08 seem like what our founding fathers established over 200 years ago.

Charter 08

Charter 08 (Língbā Xiànzhāng) is a manifesto initially signed by over 303 Chinese intellectuals and human rights activists to promote political reform and democratization in the People's Republic of China.

It was published on 10 December 2008, the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopting name and style from the anti-Soviet Charter 77 issued by dissidents in Czechoslovakia.

Since its release, more than 8,100 people inside and outside of China have signed the charter.

Liu Xiaobo was one of the writers of the articleMany of the original signatories were prominent citizens inside and outside the government, including lawyers; a Tibetan blogger, Woeser; and Bao Tong, a former senior Communist Party official, who all faced a risk of arrest and jail. The Charter calls for 19 changes to improve human rights in China, including an independent legal system, freedom of association and the elimination of one-party rule. "All kinds of social conflicts have constantly accumulated and feelings of discontent have risen consistently," it reads. "The current system has become backward to the point that change cannot be avoided." China remains the only large world power to still retain an authoritarian system that so infringes on human rights, it states. "This situation must change! Political democratic reforms cannot be delayed any longer!"<5>

Specific demands are:

1.Amending the Constitution.
2.Separation of powers.
3.Legislative democracy.
4.An independent judiciary.
5.Public control of public servants.
6.Guarantee of human rights.
7.Election of public officials.
8.Rural–urban equality.
9.Freedom of association.
10.Freedom of assembly.
11.Freedom of expression.
12.Freedom of religion.
13.Civic education.
14.Protection of private property.
15.Financial and tax reform.
16.Social security.
17.Protection of the environment.
18.A federated republic.
19.Truth in reconciliation.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_08">Charter 08