Toronto to Erect “The Empty Chair” Memorial
多倫多籌建劉曉波紀念碑

Press Release

Toronto – May 29, 2018

Amnesty International Canada, PEN Canada and the Toronto Association for Democracy in China
jointly announced today the kickoff of the Liu Xiaobo Memorial project to erect a bronze sculpture of
an empty chair to commemorate his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in
China.
Liu Xiaobo was a writer, literary critic, human rights activist, and co-author of Charter 08, a manifesto
calling for political reform in China. He was arrested in 2009 on suspicion of “inciting subversion of
state power” and sentenced to eleven years’ imprisonment.
Liu Xiaobo was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. At the award ceremony in Oslo, the award was
presented to an empty chair. In 2017, Liu became the second Nobel Peace Laureate to die in state
custody.
“Liu Xiaobo was a man of fierce intellect, principle, wit and above all humanity,” said Alex Neve,
Secretary-General of Amnesty International Canada. “Thanks to him, millions of people in China and
across the world have been inspired to stand up for freedom and justice in the face of oppression.”
“The Chinese government has applied its full authoritarian weight to the task of destroying another
voice of conscience,” says Charlie Foran, former president of PEN Canada. “Liu Xiaobo will forever live
in our hearts as the champion of freedom of expression.”
Liu Xia, poet, artist, blogger and the widow of Liu Xiaobo, has been held under illegal house arrest
without charge since October 2010. PEN and Amnesty International have a worldwide “Free Liu Xia”
campaign calling for lifting of all restrictions on Liu Xia.
“Why is the Chinese government so fearful of a woman who has suffered such an immeasurable loss,
and whose own weapon is her pen,” said Winnie Ng, Chair of Toronto Association for Democracy in
China. “We must do all we can to end her illegal house arrest and surveillance and ensure that she is
free.”
The Toronto Association for Democracy in China also announced its activities for the 29th anniversary
of the Tiananmen Massacre this Saturday, June 2, 2018.

新聞稿

多倫多 – 2018年5月29日

多倫多支持中國民運會、國際特赦加拿大分會及加拿大筆會共同宣布展開劉曉波紀念碑籌建計劃。紀念碑的設計以諾貝爾和平獎空座椅為藍圖，以此喻意劉曉波一生為中國民主、人權和自由所作出的犧牲和付出。

劉曉波2010年獲得諾貝爾和平獎，卻因仍身陷牢獄而不能出席奧斯陸的頒獎典禮，諾貝爾奬委員會當局以空座椅代表劉曉波接受和平獎的殊榮，塲面莊嚴肅穆，令人動容，因而更引起世界矚目。自此，這張代得主領獎的空座椅，反而成為劉曉波精神的一個符號。那就是他兩次出國後不惜個人安危回國、多次被囚、以至在去年坐牢至死，他為中國人權、民主和自由所付出的，是「從未缺席的抗爭」精神。

劉曉波因撰寫及聯署「零八憲章」而入獄，是因言入罪。他的妻子劉霞亦因受牽連而在2010年受軟禁至今，一直與外界隔絕，精神瀕臨崩潰，外界多次營救無果。而劉曉波即使作為諾貝爾和平獎得主的地位，在癌症末期期間欲擁帶著妻子離開中國保外就醫的人道要求，被中共拒絕，國際社會對於中共的鐵腕獨裁皆束手無策。最終，劉曉波落得骨灰被撒入大海而「死無葬身之地」的命運。

由此可見，西方社會恊助中國在2001年加入世貿，讓中國享有各種優惠而成為經濟強國後，中國不但沒有兌現與普世價值和文明社會制度接軌的承諾，在國內，人權狀況節節倒退，變本加厲至沒有底線。在中國以外，更在各個民主社會中進行金權和人事關係的滲透，影響所至，三級政府、商界企業、傳媒、文化界以至學術界都受到影響。甚至流亡海外的異見人士也受到前所未有人身安全威脅。

因此，民運會發言人關卓中表示：「劉曉波的命運揭示中國人權無底線地倒退的真相。而劉曉波的抗爭精神，亦將成為當今人類文明對抗強權的感召力量。因此，豎立劉曉波紀念碑不但是承傳八九民運和零八憲章的精神，也是讓歷史真相世世代代永留鐵証！鐵証是對人權被踐踏的警惕，更是抗爭的延續。」

記者會上，多倫多支持中國民運會宣布六四 29周年的活動詳情。

一如既往，紀念活動分遊行和在多倫多大學紀念碑前的悼念兩項。
於2018年6月29日星期六下午三時，參加者先在中國駐多倫多領事館門前集會抗議。之後遊行至多倫多大學六四紀念碑前，於下午四時舉行六四29周年的悼念活動。期間，民運會將與參加者一同啟動劉曉波紀念碑籌建計劃。