Protesters demand China free Nobel winner Liu

Hundreds of people marched in  Hong Kong on Sunday to demand China free dissident Liu Xiaobo,  a week before the human rights activist is formally awarded  the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. 

Holding banners reading "Free Liu Xiaobo" and singing for  his release to the strumming of guitars, nearly one thousand  marched to Beijing's liaison office in support of the Nobel  Peace Prize winner, who is the first Chinese recipient of the  accolade. 

China denounced Liu's award as an "obscenity" and sparked  a torrent of diplomatic scorn towards Norway, with Beijing  pressuring diplomats to boycott the ceremony. 

China has in return come under fire for its stance on Liu. 

Former Czech President Vaclav Havel and Nobel Peace prize  winner Desmond Tutu, writing in a British newspaper on Sunday,  became the latest to urge Beijing to free him from jail and  his wife from house arrest. 

"China's support for abusive regimes and the brutal force  with which it crushes dissent within its own borders  demonstrates that substantial reform is needed if China is to  be viewed within the international community as a true  leader," the veteran pro-democracy activists wrote in an  editorial in the Observer [ID:nLDE6B308M]. 

Sunday's Hong Kong protesters, closely watched by police,  erected a net outside the building to which they tied ribbons  symbolising their support for Liu while condemning  "oppressive" Chinese authorities. 

"Shame on the Chinese Communist Party," shouted Hong Kong  lawmaker and activist Leung Kwok-hung. 
 
INSPIRED BY HAVEL 

Many protesters also criticised China for imposing house  arrest on Liu's wife, Liu Xia, and barring other prominent  dissidents and rights campaigners from leaving the country in  recent weeks, fearful they might attend the lavish awards  ceremony which normally involves presentation of medals and an  acceptance speech for laureates. 

"The Chinese government is still very much oppressing the  rights of Liu Xiaobo, his wife and other dissidents in China,"  Hong Kong lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan told Reuters at the rally. 

"China's international image will be damaged if it doesn't  release Liu and his wife," he added. 

Liu, a 54-year-old activist, writer and poet, is believed  to be the fifth laureate in the 109-year history of the prize  not able to attend the award ceremony for political reasons,  though a symbolic empty chair will be used to represent him  instead. 

Lee, the Hong Kong lawmaker, who will travel to Oslo for  the ceremony, said he and around 100 prominent exiled Chinese  dissidents and supporters from around the world, planned to  hold protests outside the Chinese embassy and support rallies  around the Norwegian capital in the run-up to the prizegiving. 

Liu is an intellectual and co-author of "Charter 08", a  petition calling for sweeping political reforms and freedoms,  putting him at odds with stability-obsessed authorities who  sentenced him to 11-years imprisonment last Christmas day on  several charges, including subversion, that Liu has denied. 

Liu's manifesto was based on a letter by Havel and other  Czechoslovak intellectuals in the 1970s protesting against the  communist government. Havel also nominated Liu for the Nobel  Peace prize. 

Archbishop Tutu won the 1984 Nobel Peace prize for efforts  to end South Africa's apartheid system by peaceful means. 

The pair are also honorary co-chairs of Freedom Now, a  group which represents Liu as his international legal counsel.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.