Liu Xiaobo faces 15 years in prison, if convicted
Despite Liu’s trial coming shortly before Christmas, it is sure to receive widespread international attention. Political leaders in Europe and Washington have expressed concern about the case.Liu has been among his country’s best known critics of restrictions on citizens’ rights, and was detained late last year while helping oversee the launch of the “Charter 08″ petition for political change. [Note he was just asking for democracy]
Chinese authorities said last week they had decided to try Liu on charges of “inciting subversion of state power” for publishing essays critical of the ruling Communist Party and for his role in organizing the “Charter 08″ petition.
Liu’s lawyer Shang Baojun said on Sunday that a Beijing court had notified him the dissident would be tried on Wednesday. Shang said he had been notified by telephone and was awaiting formal written notice of the precise time of the trial.
via China to try prominent dissident on Wednesday: lawyer | Reuters.
[...] telling they give Chávez a “Peace Price” award, while there’s no award for Chinese dissident Liu Xiao Bo, nor to FARC’s [...]
[...] 2009 December 26 tags: China, Communism, Dictatorship, Liu Xiao Bo, repression by Claudia He is very dangerous: he organised “Charter 08″, a call for democracy in China: China’s most prominent [...]