「不在沉默中爆發 就在沉默中滅亡。」
(English version follows)
主權移交至今二十年，民主普選未至，人權、自由與法治岌岌可危。歷史的軌跡已明確告訴我們：中共專政非但不兌現《基本法》中的普選承諾，更陰謀收回《基本法》保障的言論自由、政治參與及結社的權利，繼而消滅任何制度內外爭取民主、人權、自治、反對威權獨裁的聲音。
二十年來，北京與港府專政下，敗壞民生福祉，制度與人權急速倒退，威權管治已成事實。盡管港人民主訴求日增，歷年堅毅不懈，雨傘運動更是歷年以來最浩大的民主運動，但北京政權與港府卻堅持「人大八三一」決定，扼殺港人自主的未來；眼見港人不屈，在選舉中支持民主力量而獲勝，「人大釋法」隨即禠奪議員資格，剝奪港人的政治權利，推翻選舉結果，令立法會無法真正彰顯港人民意；制度不義激起抗爭，自雨傘運動來，大量青年抗爭者相繼定罪而入獄，待審名單至今已逾過百人；律政司更以「刑期覆核」追殺抗爭者，法庭只祭出「公共秩序」卻無視保障人權的法治精神，重囚義人阻嚇反抗力量。
威權時代之下，政權高舉「依法管治」與《基本法》的至高地位，以法律壓迫港人追求民主、權利與尊嚴的意志。律令的壓迫，不單施於行政、立法與司法體制，實現「三權合作」，更從上而下擴展至各級學校、公營機構等社會場域，收緊言論自由形同剝奪政治權利，最終威迫個人放棄追求公理，屈從專制自我噤聲。
即使威權已成事實，但我們深信：港人絕不認命，絕不屈服於獨裁政權，絕不放棄任何體制內外的抗爭！民主之路，從不施於政權，而在於人民不懼權力的意志。唯有人民決心捍衛，決志爭取民主，我們才有抵禦威權、延續民主進程的希望。
當下，讓我們一起承接一眾在囚抗爭者的意志，眾志抵抗謊言與麻木，抱擁真誠與信念，團結一致負起捍衛價值、爭取民主之責，一步一步建立民主、法治和公義的香港。
2017年9月22日
Either break the silence, or perish in it.
It is now 20 years since the return of sovereignty, but democratic elections are yet to be implemented, and human rights, freedom and the rule of law are on the brink of being dismissed. The evidence of history is telling us in no uncertain terms that the Chinese communist dictatorship is not going to honour the pledge of universal suffrage set out in the Basic Law. The signs are it no less intends to deny Hong Kong freedom of expression, the right of political participation and of assembly safeguarded by the same Basic Law, towards the end that every voice which cries out for democracy, human rights, autonomy and anti-authoritarianism be silenced.
For 20 years, under the rule of Beijing and of the Hong Kong government, the people's livelihood has deteriorated. Our institutions and human rights are rapidly being undermined. Despite the rising tide of democracy, the Beijing regime and the Hong Kong government had chosen to impose the suppressive National People Congress 831 resolution which effectively strangles the city's democratic future. Still the people remained undaunted, returning those who represent them to the Legislative Council in the last election. The NPC responded by a blatant reinterpretation of the law, disqualifying them, depriving them of their seats. This deprives the Legislative Council of its ability to represent the will of the public. This unjust system added fuel to the struggle of the people. Since the Umbrella Movement, numerous young activists were convicted and jailed, and over a hundred are now awaiting trial. And the Secretary for Justice ruthlessly manipulates sentencing through the exercise of sentence review, went after activists who had engaged in acts of civic disobedience with the full force of the law. All these in the name of Public Order, at the cost of human rights, freedom and the rule of law. The righteous are thus punished with heavy sentences. Intimidation is the name of the game.
In times of authoritarian rule, supremacy is allocated to the ideology of <rule by law>, which is now given equal standing with the Basic Law. Law is being used to suppress the will of Hong Kong people for democracy, human rights and dignity. It is exercised not only through the executive, legislative and judicial systems in the name of <the collaboration of the three powers>, it is being incarnated in the city's schools, public sectors and in society, with the objective of stifling freedom of speech and depriving the people of their political rights. The end is intimation by and submission to authoritarianism forcing upon the people a state of voluntary silence.
Authoritarianism is now a fact upon this city. But we do believe Hong Kong people will never give up. We do not bow before authoritarian powers. We will continue to fight, within the system and without. Democracy is never a free gift. It comes from out of the will of the people who fear no authoritarian powers.
22th September, 2017
