Translator's Notes:
- Ding Jiaxi (丁家喜) is a PRC civil rights lawyer who co-founded the New Citizens' Movement (中国新公民运动) along with fellow civil rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong (许志永).
- Ding first became the target of government prosecution in 2013, when he and Xu Zhiyong were arrested, and eventually imprisoned, for their roles in small demonstrations in Beijing calling for equal social and educational benefits for migrant workers in Beijing.
- The text below is Ding's statement published shortly before a court was expected to issue a verdict in his trial for subversion in connection with meetings he and Xu held with other activists in 2019.
- The Chinese version was created by running an image posted by Ding's wife on Twitter on April 8, 2023 (https://twitter.com/luoshch/status/1644501747635826690) through OCR software. I have tried to proof the OCR version, but some errors in transcription may remain.
Ding Jiaxi's Statement to the Court
Autocracy Shall Perish
If we start counting from the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, more than 110 years have passed, and after several generations of sacrifices, the Chinese people are still living in a state of political oppression, economic control, and ideological enslavement. Dictators and their privileged interest groups continue to use high-tech means to strengthen their autocratic rule. But civilization is driving the course of history with mighty force. A battle between democracy and autocracy is unfolding. Their lifelong dictatorship and long-term delusions of one-party dictatorship are coming to an end, and China's social transformation is approaching day by day.
It has always been our sincere desire to avoid social turmoil and people's suffering during the transition period. We are convinced that the most stable model for China's transformation is one of peace, rationality, and non-violence. I have faced many doubts, encountered many difficulties, and suffered many setbacks. I have personally been tortured. None of this will change my steadfast philosophy.
All Chinese who care about the future of the nation need to entrust our generation with an historic responsibility. This responsibility is to eradicate autocracy and build a beautiful China. This requires us to overcome the fear in our hearts, speak loudly for justice, resolutely oppose dictators, resolutely oppose privileged interest groups, and reject their authoritarian rule. As long as we work together, the light of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law will surely shine over the land of China!
Dramatic changes are imminent for China. Even as my body sits within high walls, I can clearly feel that the footsteps of civilization like rousing thunder! I picture the scene like this: The Chinese people will awaken from extreme slavery, see through the various forms of righteousness they have woven together with moral lies, and see the truth clearly. The privileges of dictators and their privileged interests groups will collapse as soon as the people cease to trust and submit to their autocratic rule.
I have always believed this: They have endeavored to reverse engineer the historical experience of the progress of human civilization, blocking 1,000 possibilities for the collapse of an autocratic regime. Nevertheless, it remains the case that autocratic regimes will collapse in 1,001 ways. That is the law of history.
Let's start 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，都需要授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……
