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© Epic, 2010 |
"The democratization of Chinese politics can be put off no longer." -- Charter 08
When Liu Xiaobo was announced as this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner, most of the world scratched their heads. But not in China. Furious Chinese authorities quickly censored the incoming news, broke up local celebrations, and placed Liu's wife under house arrest. Then China issued a statement reprimanding the Nobel Committee for their "desecration" of the prestigious award.
Though less known outside of China, Liu is a well-known literary critic and activist within his country. He was a professor for many years at Beijing Normal University. Since Liu's involvement in the nonviolent Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, he has been a strong spokesperson in calling for freedom of speech, democratic elections, and constitutional reform. He has been sent to prison or labor camps four times for his political activism. When he isn't in jail, Liu is often under government surveillance or house arrest.
Liu is currently two years into an eleven-year prison sentence. The charge? Inciting subversion of state power. He was arrested just days before the publication of Charter 08, a document in which he and others called for greater human rights in China.
Today Liu's future remains uncertain, but we applaud him "for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China."
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