Authoritarianism Shall Perish – Ding Jiaxi’s Court Statement
Ding Jiaxi, April 9, 2023
After a decade-long successful career as a successful commercial lawyer in Beijing, Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜) joined the New Citizens Movement in 2011 led by legal scholar Xu Zhiyong (许志永). The citizen movement chiefly concerned itself with calling upon Chinese to become true citizens, exercising their rights and shouldering their responsibilities as citizens to change China into a democratic country through nonviolent means. The citizen activists organized regular citizens’ gatherings around the country, promoted equal education rights for children of migrant workers, and supported independent candidates for grassroots elections of people’s representatives, among many other causes. Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi were both imprisoned during the crackdown on the Citizens Movement in 2013, serving four years and three and half years, respectively. In December 2019, Ding Jiaxi was again detained after a gathering in Xiamen, Fujian province that month. Xu was detained in February, 2020. Both were tortured during the first six months in secret detention, or RSDL. Held in Linshu County detention center (山东临沭县看守所) in Shandong province, they were tried separately in June 2022 for “subversion of state power.” They are expected to be sentenced on Monday, April 10, 2023, Beijing time. Not allowed to have paper and pen, and with slim chances of being allowed to speak in court, Ding Jiaxi dictated the following statement, to be released before his sentencing. – The editors
Authoritarianism Shall Perish – Ding Jiaxi’s Court Statement
It’s been over 110 years since the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 [that established the Republic of China]. Yet despite several generations of sacrifices, the Chinese people still live in a state of political oppression, economic unfreedom, and ideological bondage. Dictators and their privileged interest groups continue to reinforce their authoritarian rule through increasingly high-tech means. But as the powerful historical current of civilization surges forth, we are witnessing an unfolding battle between the forces of democracy and authoritarianism. The megalomania of dictatorship and the eternal one-party state is fast coming to an end, and the social transformation of China is growing closer, day by day.
It has always been our sincere desire to avoid social turmoil and human suffering during the transformation period. We firmly believe that the most stable model for China’s transformation is one that is peaceful, rational, and non-violent. However many have doubted me, no matter many difficulties and setbacks I’ve encountered, including physical torture that I’ve suffered, I will not part from my steadfast convictions.
All Chinese who care about our country’s future must shoulder the historical responsibility of our generation, which is to eradicate autocracy and build a beautiful China. This demands that we overcome the fear in our hearts, speak loudly for justice, resolutely oppose dictatorship and privileged interest groups, and reject their authoritarian rule. As long as we work as one, the light of freedom, democracy and the rule of law will surely shine on the land of China!
China is on the cusp of great change. Even from within my prison walls, I can feel it clearly. The advancing footsteps of civilization come like the awakening thunder of spring! I see the day when the people of China wake up from their extreme slavery, see through the myriad injustices interwoven with moralizing deceit, and realize the true reality. Once the people no longer trust in and obey with their authoritarian rule, the dictatorship and its privileged interest groups will disintegrate.
I have always believed that despite all the efforts by the authoritarian regime to reverse the historical current of human civilization’s progress by eliminating 1,000 existential threats to their rule, there will always be the 1001st threat that leads to their collapse. This is the law of history.
Let’s begin the countdown: five, four, three, two, one…
丁家喜法庭陈述：专制必亡
从辛亥革命算起，时间过去了一百一十多年，经历了几辈人的牺牲，中国人民依然生活在政治上受压迫，经济上受控制，思想上受奴役的状态。独裁者及其特权利益集团，不断用高技术手段强化他们的专制统治。但是文明正以强大的力量推动着历史的进程，一场民主与专制的战役正在展开，他们的终身独裁和长期一党专政的妄想正在走向末日，中国的社会转型正在日益临近。
避免转型时期的社会动荡和人民的痛苦，一直是我们的真诚愿望，我们确信和平理性非暴力是中国转型的最为稳定的模式。面对很多质疑，遇到很多困难，遭受很多挫折，以及个人被酷刑折磨，都不会改变我坚守的理念。
所有关心民族前途的中国人，都需要担起我们这一代人的历史责任，这个责任就是根除专制，建设美好中国。这需要我们克服心中的恐惧，大声地发出正义的呐喊，坚决地反对独裁者，坚决地反对特权利益集团，拒绝他们的专制统治。只要我们一起努力，自由之光，民主之光和法治之光一定会照亮神州大地！
中国的巨变迫在眼前，即使身在高墙之内，我也能清晰地感觉到。文明的脚步如同惊蛰的雷声！我看到了这样一幅景象：中国人民将从极度奴役中清醒过来，看透他们用道德谎言编织的各种公义，看清事实真相。只要人民不再信任和服从他们的专制统治，独裁者和其特权利益集团的特权就会崩溃。
我一直认为：他们非常卖力的反向学习了人类文明进步的历史经验，堵死了专制政权垮台的1000种可能，但专制政权依然会以1001种方式垮台，这是历史的规律。
让我们开始倒计时：五，四，三，二，一….
Related:
From a Successful Lawyer to a Civil Rights Activist — An Exclusive Interview With Ding Jiaxi, March 19, 2020.
Indictment of Citizens Movement Advocate Ding Jiaxi — A Full Translation, October 16, 2021.
Citizens Movement Advocates Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi Indicted for Subversion on Scant, Slanderous ‘Evidence’, China Change, September 25, 2021
Prominent Human Rights Activist Ding Jiaxi Tells Lawyer Details of Torture Throughout His Year in Custody, China Change, February 5, 2021
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