Over 100 Nobel laureates demand freedom for Liu Xiaobo

(Nov. 05, 2012) More than 100 Nobel laureates are calling on the new leadership of China to release the writer and Noble Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo from prison and his wife Liu Xia from house arrest. The call is an open letter addressed to Xi Jinping, who becomes president in March next year. The letter is signed by 134 Nobel Laureates in literature, chemistry, physics, medicine, literature and peace. Xiaobo, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2010, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for inciting subversion of state power, after he helped in the drafting of Charter 08 and published some articles on the web about democracy. His wife is under house arrest with no conviction and often denied the right to visit her husband. The letter of the Nobel Laureates says "No government can restrict freedom of thought and association without having a negative effect on important human innovation. The distinguishing feature which led to our recognition as Nobel Laureates is that we have embraced the power of our intellectual freedom and creative inspiration to do our part to advance the human condition. " The letter is part of an international campaign for their release and is led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nobel Laureate in Medicine Sir Richard Roberts. The signatories of the letter included the Dalai Lama. In a statement issued along with the letter, Archbishop Tutu says- "Our effort is not to embarrass China, but rather to implore the government to take a different approach that would help China develop in the best way for all its people."
The letter recalls with gratitude that the outgoing president, Hu Jintao has recently stressed that China must address some issues regarding human rights. "We hope - said the letter - that China's new political leadership will move past merely recognizing the problem and seize this important opportunity to take concrete steps towards embracing the fundamental rights of all Chinese citizens."