The Chinese Human Rights Defenders have published an English Translation of Charter 8
They write by way of introduction:
English translation of Charter 08 Now Available
(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, December 10, 2008)– A group of Chinese citizens launched Charter 08 (零八宪章) to mark the International Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This English translation of Charter 08, authorized by its drafters, is now available on the website of New York Review of Books (NYRB). CHRD has obtained the permission of NYRB to include the full text of the translation in this press release.
One signatory to the Charter, Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波), a prominent dissident intellectual， remains in police custody after he was taken away from his home on October 8. Another signatory and main author of Charter 08, Zhang Zuhua (张祖桦), was interrogated for 12 hours and released yesterday morning. On December 9 Jiang Qisheng (江棋生), a scientist， was questioned for signing the Charter. Also on December 9, Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), another signatory to the Charter and a Beijing lawyer, was closely followed and his movement restricted by the police.
CHRD believes that Liu is detained solely for peacefully exercising his freedom of expression. CHRD asks the international community to raise concerns about Liu‘s arbitrary detention and demand his immediate release.
Read the translation at:
http://crd-net.org/Article/Class9/Class10/200812/20081210142700_12297.html
There’s also another translation available at the Human Rights In China website.. commentators say that although the English isn’t quite as good it’s a more accurate reflection of wht the Charter says. Read it at
http://hrichina.org/public/contents/press?revision_id=86303&item_id=85717
