Post date: Dec 05, 2010 2:39:27 PM
Hundreds of people march through Hong Kong demanding the release of Liu Xiaobo days before the jailed dissident formally receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.
HONG KONG, CHINA (DECEMBER 5, 2010) REUTERS - Hundreds in Hong Kong made an impassioned late plea for China to free dissident Liu Xiaobo in a protest march on Sunday (December 5), a week before the human rights activist is formally awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway.
Chanting slogans such as "Free Liu Xiaobo" and "Shame on the Chinese Communist Party" around one thousand citizens in Hong Kong, young and old, took to the streets in support of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, who is the first Chinese recipient of the prestigious accolade.The award, however, was denounced as an "obscenity" by China, and has sparked a torrent of diplomatic scorn towards Norway, with Beijing pressuring diplomats to boycott the ceremony.
"I think it's a shame but I think the fact that the citizens of Hong Kong can speak out as opposed to the 1.3 billion people in China that are not able to, I think we need to do what we do today," said protester Wei Ko.
The protesters marched to Beijing's liaison office in the city, closely watched by police, and erected a net outside the building to which they tied ribbons and postcards symbolising their support for Liu while condemning "oppressive" Chinese authorities.
Many protesters also slammed 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 that they might attend the award ceremony which normally involves a medal-ceremony and an acceptance speech for laureates.
"Liu Xiaobo getting the Nobel Peace Prize should be an honour to all Chinese and shamefully the Chinese government still jail Liu Xiaobo without releasing him. So this is really a shame to the world and witnessed by the world. And we felt very sad as Chinese that the Chinese government had not released Liu Xiaobo," Hong Kong lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan said at the rally.
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 another 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 prize.
"When we go to Norway we will protest outside the Chinese embassy, we will also protest outside the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony - City Hall - to show our support for Liu Xiaobo, to show our support for Liu Xiaobo to get the award and we will show all the postcards that we have signed today and bring it to Norway to show our support."
Liu is an intellectual and co-author of "Charter 08", a petition calling for sweeping political reforms and freedoms, putting him at odds with the authorities who sentenced him to 11-years imprisonment last Christmas day on several charges, including subversion, that Liu has denied.