Liu Xiaobo Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Human Rights in China
October
08, 2010
Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波),
the prominent independent intellectual and long-time democracy advocate, was
awarded the Nobel peace prize today for his “long and non-violent struggle for
fundamental human rights in China.” In
its citation, the Nobel Committee noted that despite China’s economic
advances, “China’s new status must entail greater responsibility,” and pointed
to China’s breach of international agreements and its own constitutional
guarantee of fundamental rights and freedoms.
“This award comes at a
critical historical crossroads in China and constitutes a powerful affirmation
for the voices calling for change,” said
Sharon Hom, Executive Director
of Human Rights in China.
“As Liu Xiaobo and other Chinese advocates for change have pointed out, the only
sustainable road ahead for China in one towards greater openness and political
reform. This has most recently even been publicly stated by senior Chinese
officials.”
In December 2009, Liu was
convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to eleven years
in prison for his role in drafting the
Charter 08, a public appeal for sweeping political reform, and for
articles which he previously had published online. (Human Rights in China
translated six of his articles and documents related to his case in the 2010 no.
1 issue of China Rights Forum –
click here for links.)