This will go over like a lead balloon. The Guardian:

The letter accuses officials of ignoring China’s constitution, which guarantees the rights of free speech and a free press. “This false democracy of formal avowal and concrete denial has become a scandalous mark on the history of world democracy,” it says.

Several of the signatories have been prevented from publishing books themselves.

The document began appearing on websites yesterday, days after the government denounced the decision to give the Nobel peace prize to the dissident Liu Xiaobo, who was jailed after co-writing a document calling for democratic reforms, and before a major political meeting which begins on Friday. It also follows repeated, highly unusual remarks by the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao, about political reform, most recently in a CNN interview.

“Even theall right. Two raidin' parties a day. That's pretty good huntin'. It's just fair. It's a new record for this territory. Unless we find their leaders, it will take us the rest of our lives to wipe out the Kiowas. The Kiowa talked. I don't believe in torture. He would have killed himself anyway. He not return to tribe disgraced. We're trying to bring law into this territory. Yet, one life for many. Pino! There is a white man. Corwin. He was officer in your army. He lead Kiowa raids. Where does he hide out'? Many place. He move every day. He has heard of us. What'd I tell ya? Any outfit Agustus Wilks joins becomes immortal overnight. He worries. When war parties do not come back, people