Posted on 10/08/2010 10:45:36 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
US President Barack Obama has called for the release of this year's Nobel peace prize winner – jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.
Obama has praised Xiaobo as an eloquent and courageous supporter of human rights and democracy. A poet and literature professor, Xiaobo was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009.
He's the co-author of Charter 08, a call for political reform and human rights. He had played a leading role in the Tianan-men Square student’s protest of 1989. Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel, despite China warning the Nobel committee not to give him the prize saying it will harm relations with Norway.
Thorbjoern Jagland, the Norwegian Nobel Committee chairman, said Liu Xiaobo was a symbol for the fight for human rights in China and the government should expect that its policies face scrutiny.
"China has become a big power in economic terms as well as political terms, and it is normal that big powers should be under criticism," Jagland said.
Unlike some in China's highly fractured and persecuted dissident community, the 54-year-old Liu has been an ardent advocate for peaceful, gradual political change, rather than a violent confrontation with the government.
Meanwhile Beijing blasted the Chinese dissident's Nobel Peace Prize win on Friday, calling the decision to award Liu Xiaobo the honour as a "blasphemy".
Ma Zhaoxu, spokesman for China's foreign ministry, said the award is supposed to be given to those who "promote national harmony, international friendship" and work toward peace.
Liu is serving an 11-year prison term after being sentenced in 2009 for inciting subversion of state power. He is the co-author of Charter 08, a call for political reform and human rights, and was an adviser to the student protesters at Tiananmen Square in 1989...
(Excerpt) Read more at ibnlive.in.com ...
How about an exchange? Release Liu Xiaobo and imprison Obama.
Time for Saturday Night Live to make another skit about Obama talking down to the Chinese....
Holy crap!
Barry must be absolutely desperate if he is taking issue with tyranny!
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