信中說，依據美國宗教自由委員會於2005年11月9日致美國布什總統的信中表示：中國於上週對著名維權律師高智晟之律師事務做出停業處分，即使中國方面聲稱該事務所之所以遭到停業處分系因其遷移事務所後並未向當局註冊所致，但該函向布什總統說明：該律師事務所是因爲高律師拒絕退出對法輪功及新教地下教會律師的辯護而被當局要求關閉。

來自11個國家的律師說，「我們相信北京司法局對於高智晟之律師事務所所做出的停業處分不只是危及事務所內十個律師、危及中國其他的維權律師、獨立的法官及律師和中國的司法單位，更是對於中國今天真正走向法治的斫傷。

這是一件系關中國在全球的地位及聲譽的事件，我們希望你能立即恢復高先生律師事務所法律業務的執照。」

截止發稿爲止，已經在這封信函上簽名的11國律師、學者包括：

William Aceves (美國)
Clive Ansley (加拿大)
Andrea Bianchi (意大利)
Theresa Chu (臺灣)
OWEN DAKA (南非)
Carlos Iglesias Jimenez (西班牙)
Wolfgang Kalic (德國)
Perry Link (美國)
DAVID MATAS (加拿大)
Naomi Roht-Arriaza (美國)
TOKUNAGA, Shinichi (日本)
Morton Sklar (美國)
Stravos Tsakyrakis (希臘)
Erping Zhang (美國)
YOSHIDA Akira (日本)
Chris Lawrence (新西蘭)
Alfred Dodwall (新加坡)
Frederick Rhine (美國)
Karen Chen Shi-Yuan Hong Donna Chen (臺灣)

附信件中文譯本

二○○五年十一月十一日

中國司法部部長 吳愛英女士鈞鑒：

我們謹以從事人權工作的法律系教授和律師，以及聯合國特別報告員之身分就中國政府違犯數項國際法律規定，表達我們的關注。中國政府所違犯的，包括但不限於正當程序權利，法律救濟及被告應有律師代表的權利；這些所提到的原則及規定都明確揭諸於「世界人權宣言」、「公民權利與政治權利國際公約」以及聯合國「律師角色之基本原則」及其他與人權相關的法律文件之中。

依據美國宗教自由委員會於2005年11月9日致美國布什總統的信中表示：中國於上週對著名維權律師高智晟之律師事務做出停業處分，即使中國方面聲稱該事務所之所以遭到停業處分系因其遷移事務所後並未向當局註冊所致，但該函向布什總統說明：該律師事務所是因爲高律師拒絕退出對法輪功及新教地下教會律師的辯護而被當局要求關閉。除此之外有幾份客觀報告，包括「大赦國際」在其2005年11月7日文刊中指出，這個停業的處分是在事務所主持律師給中國胡錦濤主席和溫家寶總理的公開信，促請他們停止迫害中國法輪功團體之後旋即發生。

然而這並非中國第一次枉顧宗教自由以及公民應有之正當程序權利。在聯合國的特別報告員之報告、美國國務院之國家人權報告、國際宗教自由報告和大赦國際等其他幾個非政府組織都紀錄並且評論中國政府藐視和枉顧公民權利及人權的事實，其中不僅包括其削減宗教自由，還包括枉顧正當程序權利中不得任意逮捕及拘禁，公民應享有司法救濟及被告應有律師代表的權利。以聯合國人權高級委員辦公室報告（大會第五十九期，文件編號爲A/59/402，2004年10月1日）爲例，舉出中國法律體制下許多嚴重的缺陷；美國國務院國際宗教自由之「中國的政策焦點」（訪中代表團，2005年8月14-28日）中亦有同樣論述。

我們相信北京司法局對於高智晟之律師事務所所做出的停業處分不只是危及事務所內十個律師、危及中國其他的維權律師、獨立的法官及律師和中國的司法單位，更是對於中國今天真正走向法治的斫傷。

這是一件系關中國在全球的地位及聲譽的事件，我們希望你能立即恢復高先生律師事務所法律業務的執照。

（聯署之律師謹啓）

副本
吳愛英
範方平
段正坤
張蘇軍
等副部長

信件原文:

November 11, 2005

Wu Aiying
Ministry of Justice, People』 s Republic of China
10 Nan Da Jie, Chaoyang Men
Zip 100020

Dear Minister Wu Aiying:

We the undersigned write as human rights advocates, including law professors, attorneys and barristers, as well as UN special rapporteurs regarding the Chinese government』s violation of several international legal principles and norms that include but are not limited to religious freedom, and to such due process rights as the right to a legal remedy and to legal counsel. These principles and norms are affirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and other relevant human rights instruments.

As the US Commission on International Religious Freedom notes in its November 9, 2005 letter to President Bush, Chinese authorities shut down the law firm of prominent civil rights lawyer, GAO Zhisheng last week. While the Chinese government said the firm was suspended because it had failed to register with the authorities after moving into a new office, the U.S. Commission explains in its letter to President Bush that the firm was closed because GAO refused to curtail his defense of Falun Gong practitioners and an unregistered Protestant pastor. Thus, as several other third parties reports, including the November 7, 2005 Amnesty International Release, this move came shortly after the firm』s director sent an open letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabo urging them to end the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

This is not the first time that China has curtailed the religious liberty and due process rights of its citizens. The United Nations through its Special Rapporteur reports, the United States Department of State through its human rights country reports and International Religious Freedom reports, Amnesty International and several other NGO』s have documented and commented upon the Chinese government』s abridgement of such civil and human rights as the right not only to religious freedom, but to such due process rights that include the right to be free from arbitrary arrest and detention, the right to a legal remedy and to legal counsel. See for example, the Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (General Assembly, 59th Session, document number A/59/402, 1 October 2004), which references many serious shortcomings in the Chinese legal system. See also, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom』s 「Policy Focus on China,」 Delegation to China, August 14-28, 2005.

The Bureau』s decision to shut down the law firm of GAO Zhisheng places at risk not only the ten lawyers in his firm, all other human rights lawyers in China, the independence of lawyers, judges and the judicial branch, but also the emergence of a genuine rule of law in China today.

This is a matter that concerns China』s standing and reputation around the world. We urge you to reinstate Mr. GAO』s law firm』s license to practice law forthwith.

Sincerely,

_______________
Terri E. Marsh
Executive Director
Human Rights Law Project

_______________
Lana Han
Executive Director
International Advocates for Justice

Copies to:
Wu Aiying
Fan Fangping
Duan Zhengkun
Zhang Sujun
Vice Ministers

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