#NobelPeacePrize #China: Events surrounding #LiuXiaobo ‘s #Death : The Facts. What led to #Freeliuxia movement?

(c) photo by Rheneas Choi

As many may know, I was involved in the #FreeLiuXiaobo movement from its inception. It all began with a series of chats from the charity based in Hong Kong in 2009. The concerned human rights organisation went on in 2010 to accept Liu’s Nobel Peace Prize for him in Oslo because China arrested him and held him in prison since 2010.

Since many are sending their opinions and feelings about the events of Liu’s death, I decided perhaps the best thing was to simply state what I know of the events which led to his final moments through the networks which had been supporting him and countless other survivors of the 6’4 Tienanmen Massacre in Beijing in 1989.

It is my personal belief that  Mr Liu’s legacy should be one of him being able to live and die in Truth. Anyone who reads this is free to translate or share the information, please give a link back and follow the terms of Creative Commons 3.0 (No alteration. No derivative building on the work. Attribution a must. Not for profit ) . * Many of the information I provide are  from those involved in the various incidents in the media and social media, some of whom may wish to remain anonymous.

So I am going to do my utmost to just simply state the information that appeared before me, in the events which led to his final death and burial:

• Some time in April 2017, I received news that the Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo was diagnosed with some form of terminal illness. Many rallied to see if international medical help could be provided for him. The information had not broken in the global media yet.

• 29 May 2017 I had brief communications with Ann Lau at the American Visual Artists Guild in order to discuss the human rights recent case of 3 undercover Chinese American journalists that disappeared while investigating sweatshops conditions inside the chinese factories that produced Ivanka Trump’s branded sweatshop shoes. We discussed the works Senator Rubio did to lobby in the past before the US Senate committees for other disappeared chinese americans and chinese writers. Many disappearances were instigated under China’s national security clauses (effectively a treason clause). The same series of clauses condemned Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel Peace Prize winning document Charter’08 as acts of treason against the Chinese Communist Party because the document contained clauses that protected freedom of information, freedom of workers rights, freedom of expression, freedom of religion etc under a road map for Democracy in China. Charter’08 was deemed a treasonous article against the Chinese Communist Party in 2010 and Liu Xiaobo was sentenced to 11 years in jail.
• 31st May 2017 While both  Ann and I had some news of Liu’s terminal illness from different chinese sources, we did not feel it appropriate to discuss the matter until the news had broken in the world media because we did not want to create any problems that might affect the quality of Liu’s medical treatment.
• 26th June 2017 I recieved information from all chinese and english news sources about Liu’s Terminal Liver Cancer. At last we were at liberty to discuss lobbies strategies across different international humanitarian groups worldwide. Many of us who were fluent in chinese had more time to prepare but many western entities like the Nobel Prize Organisors had already heard the news. To the Hong Kong Free Press, I said,”我們中國歷史上 又多 一個 梁天來! 大陸共產黨禽獸 ,無法無天, 怨天自滅! Many inmates in prison with bad conditions often contract liver and other diseases. I am so sorry (about Liu). Chinese government harmed him permanently. Communist Dictatorships are  human rights violators. I am proud to be amongst the first in the world to lobby for his false imprisonment when he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.”I received in my inbox many Urgent requests for individuals to join in various organised protest around the world to grant Liu a release and for him to be allowed to travel overseas for urgent medical attention. Many western news sources made the mistake of claiming that Liu was released when in fact he was under medical parole constant guarded and could be sent back to maximum security prison at Liaoning subject to the will of the Communist Chinese administration.
• 27th June 2017  A detailed document appeared in my inbox: Statements on the Medical Parole of Liu Xiaobo by Senator Marco Rubio & Representative Chris Smith, Chairs of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC). I turned to various international lobby groups I was a apart of including Voices of Women Worldwide, where Founder Vinanti Sarker and I discussed how we can highlight Liu Xia’s illegal house arrest for the last 7 years by the Chinese Government for simply being the wife of a dissident, though she had committed no crime even in the eyes of the chinese administration. We thought perhaps The Times of India was a suitable venue to begin discussion about the illegality of  punishment and torture by associated, usually inflicted on the female loved ones of political prisoner in order to encourage the individual to recant their views. We concurred that this was an important issue to highlight especially in the event of Liu Xiaobo’s death because Liu Xia may end up serving a life sentence under house arrest as a widow. With Ann at the Visual Artists Guild, who lobbied for POTUS to issue a statement as soon as possible, I said  it seemed unlikely that Donald Trump will follow the recommendations of his own Senate committees without having more pressure put on his administration, given his vested interests in his daughter’s shoes sales. Mislead by the news in western media, the Nobel Peace prize committee issued a statement stating that they were delighted Liu Xiaobo was released. While reiterating that: “He was, essentially, convicted for exercising his freedom of speech and should never have been sentenced to jail in the first place. Chinese authorities carry a heavy responsibility if Liu Xiaobo, because of his imprisonment, has been denied necessary medical treatment….”. Despite attempts to “correct” the misinformation, the notion that Liu was released instead of paroled in hospital under heavy guards, continued to prevail in the western media.
• 27th June 2017 Vancouver. Various chinese sources spread the words of Liu Xia crying: “He cannot be operated on. They cannot medicate. They cannot give him chemotherapy.” as they organised protests at 6.30pm local time for Thursday 29th June 2017.溫哥華支援民主運動聯合會 新聞稿立即釋放劉曉波中國著名異議人士、諾貝爾和平獎2010年得主劉曉波，日前傳出確診末期肝癌而保外就醫的消息，舉世震驚。而其妻劉霞在嚴密監視下，探望過劉曉波之後，向外界哭訴：「不能動手術，不能放療，不能化療。」劉曉波的病情，令人不寒而慄。

  為此，溫哥華支援民主運動聯合會（溫支聯）敦促中共當局，立即無條件釋放劉曉波，還劉曉波徹底自由，並給予劉曉波全面治療，盡全力挽救劉曉波生命！

  溫支聯並與溫哥華關注中國人權組聯合，在6月29日前往中國駐溫哥華總領事館抗議。

  日期：6月29日（星期四)

  時間：晚上6時30分點至7時30分

  地點：中國駐溫總領事館（3380 Granville St. Vancouver）

  I mentioned to the organisors that Mr Chow Yun Fat from Hong Kong cinema, will be visiting Vancouver. In the past he supported the Umbrella Movement and Occupy Central where young Hong Kong students protested to protect their rights to an objective curriculum unfettered by communists and other political rhetorics under the misleading heading of “Patriotic Lessons”.

  

  (c) Photo 林仕平 2017

• 28th June 2017 Xi Jinping visited Hong Kong to Commemorate 20 years of Hong Kong’s return since 1997, triggering discussions of chinese democratic elections and mass protests on the streets of Hong Kong. Many Hong Kong Chinese citizens geared up towards the annual 1st July protest in order to exercise their rights of freedom of expression guaranteed under the Basic law of Hong kong, and the 1 China; 2 Systems policies from the Treaty of 1997 when Hong Kong ceased being a british colony and was returned to the People’s Republic of China.
  
  It seemed less than coincidental, that information about Liu’s terminal illness was released by the chinese administrations at a time when Xi’s leadership was subject to international scrutiny. Seasoned China watcher and Human Rights agency would consider this “a symbolic show of force” to discourage ambitions of all chinese people towards democracy.
• 29th June 2017 In all chinese media press, the wish for the Liu family to leave China to seek medical treatement continued to saturate social media and non-english news, yet western media ignored these chinese language reports for reasons unknown to all key lobbyists.  see : 【香港《蘋果日報》2017年6月29日頭版頭條報道】《疑官方發放獄中片段 劉曉波夫婦 想離開中國.To several lobbies, I reminded everyone with the following chinese statement:Cecilia Yu to various International Chinese Human Rights lobbies: “請注意，德國也 邀請他到德國專醫治療 他的病。 但是所有 聯合國 或nobel 組織都需要 他的 病情細緻 。現在 國際人只知道他有 cancer 但是沒有人知道他 病情 和醫療背景 。可能我們需要他的file？沒有他的病情背景 ，我們不可以證實請注意，德國也 邀請他到德國專醫治療 他的病。 但是所有 聯合國 或nobel 組織都需要 他的 病情細緻 。現在 國際人只知道他有 cancer 但是沒有人知道他 病情 和醫療背景 。可能我們需要他的file？沒有他的病情背景 ，我們不可以證實 中國大陸的醫生有沒有醫治他的病 ？ 也不知道 他們有沒有 在 他藥 中做 手勢, 令到他更加 病情 衰退？在這個生死兼重的 侍候 ，我們 需要 對事不對人，冷靜處理 ，才可以真正的幫到他們。請官方考慮我們的建議。* traslation: “Please note, Germany also invited Liu family to come to Germany to receive medical treatement.  But many human rights united nations lobby and nobel related organisations may need a clear and detailed records of his illness and its history. Right now, the world only knows he has cancer (of the liver) but we do not know what is his medical background. Maybe we need his file? Without his medical history, how are we able to verify that chinese doctors are in fact treating his illness? Also we are unable to ascertain whether those who administered his medicine, if any were provided, had in fact exercised due skills and diligence, so all these factors can ascerbate his illness?In life and death situation, we must be objective regardless of the fame of the person and handle information in a calm and logical way to truly help the family. I request that all governing authorities consider the reasons we put forward.”**** A few friends of the Liu family flew to Liaoning to try to meet Liu with flowers, They were turned away by security, without any evidence of his presence at the hospital. They concluded that if he was “released” from prison, why was he guarded and unable to receive visitors like any ordinary hospital patient?
• 30th June 2017 Xi Jinping’s visit to Hong Kong raised many issues of Nationalism and Communist notion of Patriotism on the side of the Chinese Communist party to the people of Hong Kong. Many rejected the idea that being proud of one’s identity as a Hong Kong Chinese meant that one had to accept the policies of the Chinese Communist Party. So much so that during Xi Jinping’s visit, the issue of the nationality and citizenships of many chinese top officials including Xi’s own children came into Chinese media and social media discussions. All of them had foreign citizenships in the USA, UK, Canada or Australia.The reason why this became a point of controversy was because Xi’s administration and indeed during Hou’s administration when the Liu family was jailed, it was considered unpatriotic to vocalise alternative options to the current Chinese one party system. Yet all the top leaders of China, preferred their own children to have the freedoms found in the western world under democratic systems. It was also these points of alternative policies which when articulated by a chinese national like Liu Xiaobo in Charter’08 both won him the Nobel Peace Prize and got him 11 years of prison inside China. All the aforementioned points of contentions about Xi’s policies went unreported by the Western media except for the protest activities.
  

  (c) Photo Anonymous chinese source 2017

• 1 July 2017 60,000 Hong Kong citizens took to the street to Protest Hong Kong’s right to Universal Suffrage and Democratic Elections. Hong Kong protesters marched through summer rain brandishing colourful art and props in Hong Kong Saturday, expressing their fears the city and its freedoms are being eaten up by China. The Progressive Lawyers Group 法政匯思  urges all members of the Hong Kong public who believe in democracy, human rights, the rule of law and freedom to join the annual march organised by the Civil Human Rights Front this 1st of July. Xi Jinping issued a stern statement to Hong Kong reiterating that there will be no change to the “One China, Two System” agreement between China, Hong Kong and Britain. He repeatedly that Foreign Co kuntries should not incite Hong Kong into separatist ideas that will be not be tolerated by the Chinese Communist Party. He referenced the Boxer Rebellion as a display of Chinese National Pride and Resilience to Western intrusion into traditional feudal Qing dynasty chinese society. The Youth parties of Hong Kong concerned with communist nationalistic propaganda being forcibly introduced into Hong Kong’s 1st world standard Objectivist education curriculum points out that Mr’s Xi own child studied at Harvard under “foreign democratic separtist idealogoies” and is a US citizen. A brave Hong Kong journalist shouted out to Xi in a crowd asking him if he intends to “Free Liu Xiaobo?” in Mandarin. Xi ignored the statement while his security team beside Xi turned to let the journalist know that,”He cannot hear you.” Yet the two men beside Xi could hear the journalist.
• 2 July 2017 Last British Governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten expressed his sadness and regret that Britain never held a soverignty referendum so Hong Kong citizens can participate in the fate of the island prior to the decision of Britain to return Hong Kong back to the People’s Republic of China. In expressing his views, perhaps 20 years too late, Chris Patten expressed the heart wishes of all those living under Lion’s Peak in Hong Kong which is traditionally associated with working classes of Hong Kong. The old nicknamed of “Fat Pang” given to Chris Patten as a term of endearment by working class Hong Kong people were revived with nostalgia along with perhaps a romanticising of the “Glory days” with the British. Yet for those elite politically savvy Hong Konger who actively negotiated with the government represented by Chris Patten in Hong Kong 20 years ago, the response to his belated “alleged regret” was: “叩頭與扳腰 千古罪人的告解!” (translated in essence: Crocodile tears of a culpable criminal).
  

  A list of all Communist Chinese Party’s Top officials and the nationality of their children/ family (all of them are USA, UK, Canadian or Australian citizens). Many concerned chinese citizens asked why this is the case if Xi Jinping rejects western influences inside China?

  
  
  There were factions inside the chinese world more aligned with objective historical accounts who thought,” If Xi is so concerned about Hong Kong and its Boxer Rebellion history, why does his government treat Liu Xioabo and his family like how Qing Dynasty (a Manchu dictatorship) treated Dr.Sun Yat Sen. It says something terrible about a communist regime that refuses to give proper medical attention to their prisoners. Even Japan managed to implement a law that allowed inmates of its prison system to get medical attention and transfer their files to the Red Cross since 1906! How can China 2017 be less civilised than pre WW1 Japan. “When asked to comment on the strange warmth Hong Kong working classes felt for the days of Colonialism by an Australian research group, I responded: ” The issue is about social distances and class divide. The Gini index measures the degree of inequality in distribution of family income so we can draw some objective conclusions. Hong Kong rates 53.70 and Australia rates 30.30 in the global comparison! If we study the findings of the lastest index futher, Hong Kong makes 22.5% more money above average but have to see 77% more class divide! Now just speaking as someone who has lived equal times in Hong Kong, Australia and Europe, I know why I prefer Australia. Even if I am the lucky one that are above average, it is not fun to have 22.5% more money but having to live with a context where you see 77% more poverty around you! Here is where Communist China failed to understand the heart of the people in Hong Kong. The Gap was lower under the British Administration, so automatically those most affected by this disparity would feel kinder towards the previous administration than the current Xi Jinping administration that continue to increase the gap by pandering to multinationals corporate enterprise while espousing so-called “equality” communist rhetoric. Hong Kong  simply considers the British slightly less hypocritical than China, they are not expecting great competence from their government, only degrees of incompetence and exploitation. This response is more a signal of failed social policies by the Xi leadership! “Workers Rights and the Right to form worker’s union inside China, was an article in Charter’08 that the Chinese government considered “incitement to treason” on Liu Xiaobo’s part. More than any other parts of Charter’08, he was jailed and punished for the wish to close wealth gaps inside China.

• 4th July 2017 Canadian office of Hong Kong Alliance appealed to Justin Trudeau to speak up on behalf of the Liu Family as he will be meeting with Xi Jinping at G20.
•  5th July 2017 Since Justin Trudeau was in Scotland meeting the Queen of England and getting an honorary doctorate, many lobby factions wanted advice as to what is the best way forward in highlighting the humanitarian issue to the Scottish Parliament presided by Nicola Sturgeon. We worked quietly towards bringing the issue into light.
• 6th July 2017 154 Nobel Laureates Urge Chinese President Xi Jinping to Allow Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia to Travel to the US for Medical Treatment. Japan spoke up at G20 about China’s Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo.
• 7th July 2017 4.02am Hong Kong time, in a late night statement, Liu Xioabo’s doctors reiterated that his condition was such that it is not appropriate to provide further treatement for his late stage liver cancer.Leaks to Hong Kong Ming Poa media, indicated that Liu Xiaobo had been treated at the LIaoning No.1 Hospital, that his condition was worsening, following attempts at treatments with experimental cancer “miracle” drugs: Sorafenib PD1 and PD L1. The source indicated that Liu was admitted to Liaoning No.1 hospital because he had a high fever as a result of his illness, he was given different stages and intensity of medical treatement, up to and including the use of Sorafenib. But on the 5th July 2017, the consulting physicians found that there were excessive fluid and bloating in his vital organs and it was feared that his conditions would deterroriate to the point of total kidney failure, therefore they discontinued his medical treatment.  After weeks of lobbying and pressure, Chinese Administration claimed they invited medical experts from Germany and USA to co-consult on the case of Liu XiaoBo’s Liver cancer. 中国邀请美、德等国专家将赴华会诊 刘晓波出国治病机会渺茫.Liu’s name appeared on the Home Page of China No.1’s hospital unit website with updates of his latest conditions.
  

  (c) Photo Anonymous chinese source 2017

  *****Translator 余詠詩 Cecilia Yu’s editorial note: “Since Liu Xiaobo’s condition was not a surprise to me, I like many other concerned individuals with some insider information, took it upon ourselves to consult with various medical experts in the area. I cannot speak for others, however I can honestly say that based on the medical expertise I could access, it was clear that Sorafenib and other experimental drugs required administration by professionals with practical hands-on experience as to what is considered “normal and acceptible range” of side-effects as oppose to degrees of rejection by the patient’s body that might make termination of treatement advisable. These are not experience doctors can simply acquire through theories. As such, since there were at the time, no Sorafenib or medically similar experts in this particular kinds of experimental drugs at China’s no.1 Hospital, it seemed both logical and appropriate to allow western doctors with existing hands on expertise in this particular types of experimental drugs, to directly and in a co-consulting capacity, continue to administer the PD1 and/or PDL1.

  

  TOPSHOT – This undated video grab obtained on July 11, 2017, shows Chinese Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo (C) surrounded by doctors and his wife Liu Xia at an undisclosed location.
  A Chinese hospital said July 11, that it was scrambling to save terminally-ill Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, while human rights groups decried his treatment by the authorities and the leak of a video showing him in his sickbed. / AFP PHOTO / HANDOUT / HO / —–EDITORS NOTE — RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO/ ” – NO MARKETING – NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS – NO ARCHIVES – NO SALES (c) Japan Times 2017

  The decision to terminate all Sorafenib treatment for fear of the side-effects, seemed cautious but inexperienced in the application of the “miracle” experimental drugs. Would this not be a good opportunity for Liu’s treatment to continue in the interest of both scientific discoveries and humanitarian reasons? Instead in a gesture which reminded the chinese world of the backwards pigheaded illiteracy which caused the great starvation and destruction of knowledge during the Cultural Revolution, Communist China, without having the necessary knowledge and actual experience of the drug Sorafenib unequivocally rejected its potential to cure Liu based on their own inexperience of the drugs at No.1 Hospital Unit. This prompted many to question the quality of care provided for Liu Xiaobo, did China hastened Liu’s death by omission of appropriate medical treatment?” 

• 7th July 2017 20.40pm, in his website Wang Dan echoed the sentiment felt by the current translator 余詠詩 Cecilia Yu. He wrote as an insider:劉曉波，劉霞，曾經是一對神仙伴侶。現在，一個肝癌晚期，另一個得了憂鬱症。 而這一切，僅僅是因為劉曉波主張中國應當有民主自由；僅僅是因為他說了一些話，寫了一些文章。僅僅如此，中共當局就要把劉曉波整死，把無辜的劉霞逼瘋。這個政權的邪惡，卑鄙和內心的怯懦，已經超乎正常人的想像。（照片來自陳小平的推特）translation: “Liu Xiaobo & Liu Xia were once a match made in heaven. Today, one of them has late stage liver cancer, another has depression. All this was because Liu Xiaobo was one of the protest leaders in “that year” (Tienanmen Protest 4th June 1989) for a people’s democracy. Also because he said certain words and wrote certain kinds of articles. In this way, the chinese communist party treated Liu Xiaobo as an enemy deserving of death, and bullied Liu Xia to the point of insanity. This is the act of an evil dictatorship using such vile and unconscionable methods, to a degree that is beyond the imagination of any decent and normal beings.”
  

  (c) Photo Jing Zhang 2017

• 10-11th July 2017 A video made at the bedside of Liu Xiaobo during his medical examination by a german doctor and a texan american doctor was allegedly leaked into social media inside China. This caused negative reactions from the Chinese administration, claiming that the doctors were more politically motivated in their visits. Yet many who studied the video could see that the camera was clearly held and the footage filmed by a 3rd party in the room with some official capacity to be there since Liu Xiaobo was still heavily under guard. His hospital room was the only one with bars in the window and was set up like a jail cell. This outrage from the chinese administration, appeared to coincide with the seperate and independent medical opinions of the two doctors, who both expressed that in their professional opinion, Liu Xiaobo was “fit to fly” and should if possible, be provided palleaitive care in either a German or American hospitals with medical experience of administering PD1 and PD L1. Liu Xiaobo in his lucid moments during medical consultation also tried to joke with his western physicians in english and indicated that, if possible, he would prefer to go to Germany for his long term medical care.*** In the opinion of the current translator, the accusations of leaked videos, appeared to be unprofessional, media seeking stunts to distract from the reality that the patient would rather be treated by different physicians than those he was assigned in LIaoning No.1 Hospital. The allegations directed at the two western practitioners cannot detract from the fact that those in Liaoning No.1 Hospital had not shown they were fully qualified in assessing the side-effects of PD1 and PDL1 before terminating all treatment options. It is normal to seek 2nd and 3rd experts opinions especially when a patient is interested in participating in an experimental “miracle” drugs programme.
• 13th July 2017 Liu Xiaobo passed away. RIP Nobel Peace Laureate of China.  Berit Reiss-Andersen, The Chair of Norwegian Nobel Committee said,” The chinese government bears a heavy responsibility for his premature death.”

(c) Photo Jing Zhang 2017

The Chinese Government bears a heavy responsibility for his premature death.”

Statement by Ms Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee:

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo passed away today, July 13, 2017. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has received the news of his death with regret and great sadness.

Liu Xiaobo received the Nobel Peace Prize for 2010 for his efforts to implement the fundamental human rights secured in international instruments as well as in the constitution of the People’s Republic of China. He was a leading figure in the Chinese democracy movement for almost 30 years. The demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989 took him from an academic life to activism. He was one of the major contributors to Charter 08, the manifesto that pointed out China’s obligations to secure fundamental human rights for its citizens. In his famous poem “I have no Enemies”, we see a clear expression of his pacific attitude.

By awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo the Norwegian Nobel Committee wanted to underscore the fundamental connection between developing democracy and creating and securing peace. Moreover, the Committee found that Liu Xiaobo had contributed to the fraternity of peoples through his non-violent resistance against the oppressive actions of the Communist regime in China.

(c) Photo Jing Zhang 2017

Liu Xiaobo was not able to attend the Award Ceremony in Oslo in 2010. By then he had already been sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment, allegedly for attempting to undermine the current political order. In our view he had not committed any criminal act, but merely exercised his citizen’s rights. His trial and imprisonment were unjust.

Liu Xiaobo’s absence from the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony was marked by an empty chair. We now have to come to terms with the fact that his chair will forever remain empty. At the same time it is our deep conviction that Liu Xiaobo will remain a powerful symbol for all who fight for freedom, democracy and a better world. He belongs to a heritage of former Nobel laureates such as Carl von Ossietzky, Martin Luther King, Jr., Andrei Sakharov, Lech Walesa, Aung San Suu Kyi, Nelson Mandela and Shirin Ebadi, to mention a few.

At the end of June the news reached us that Liu Xiaobo had been released from prison. He had been transferred to hospital, but was still under guard and held in complete isolation. We find it deeply disturbing that Liu Xiaobo was not transferred to a facility where he could receive adequate medical treatment before he became terminally ill. The Chinese Government bears a heavy responsibility for his premature death.

The news of Liu Xiaobo’s serious condition was met in part with silence and belated, hesitant reactions world wide. Eventually the governments of France, Germany, and the USA called for his unconditional release, as did the EU through its foreign policy spokesperson. It is a sad and disturbing fact that the representatives of the free world, who themselves hold democracy and human rights in high regard, are less willing to stand up for those rights for the benefit of others.

(c) Photo Jing Zhang 2017

In the last days of his life, we had a hope that Liu Xiaobo would be released and safely evacuated for medical treatment abroad. This would have been in accordance with his own wishes and the recommendations of the German and American doctors who were allowed to visit him. While the whole world watched, China chose instead to maintain the isolation of its prisoner.

Today our hearts are filled with gratitude to Liu Xiaobo for his monumental efforts and great sacrifices to advance democracy and human rights. He was truly a prisoner of conscience and he paid the highest possible price for his relentless struggle. We feel confident that his efforts were not in vain. Liu Xiaobo was a representative of ideas that resonate with millions of people all over the world, even in China. These ideas cannot be imprisoned and will never die.

photo (c) Hong Kong Alliance 2010 Photo: As a tribute to the absent Nobel Laureate, Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel Medal and Diploma were placed on an empty chair during the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony in Oslo, Norway, 10 December 2010.

see also article from Le Monde: Colère à Pékin, dans le viseur après la mort du Nobel Liu Xiaobo. Pékin a dénoncé l’attribution en 2010 du prix Nobel de la paix à M. Liu. Il est mort jeudi, sans que le régime communiste l’ai laissé finir ses jours en liberté à l’étranger.

United Nations: Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein,  UN High Commissioner for Human Rights described Mr. Liu as “the true embodiment of the democratic, non-violent ideals,” “the definition of civic courage and human dignity – a poet and intellectual who wanted, and strove for, a better future for his country,” and “a man who, despite all he suffered, continued to espouse the politics of peace.”

(c) Photo 林仕平 2017

Extending heartfelt condolences and deepest respects to his wife, Liu Xia, his family and friends, Mr. Zeid said Mr. and Mrs. Liu were a courageous couple and absolutely devoted to one another.

“I urge the Chinese authorities to guarantee Liu Xia’s freedom of movement, and allow her to travel abroad should she wish so,” he said.

Despite the imprisonment and separation from the wife he adored that could have fuelled anger and bitterness, Mr. Liu declared that he had no hatred for those who pursued and prosecuted him.

“He was and will continue to be an inspiration and an example for all human rights defenders,” Mr. Zeid said.

• 15th July 2017 I received this Eulogy for Liu Xiaobo from the Chair of Visual Artists Guild, USA:Visual Artists Guild mourns the passing of Nobel Peace Laureate, Liu Xiaobo today while still under the guard of the Chinese government in a hospital in China.
  Liu Xiaobo had spent a greater part of his life urging for political reform in China.  His 2008 manifesto, Charto 08 calls for democratic reform and resulted in his being sentenced on Christmas day 2009 to 11 years in prison.  In 2010 he was awarded the Nobel Peace prize.  During the Nobel award ceremony, an empty chair became the representation of Liu.  He is only the second Nobel Peace laureate who died in custody since the German Carl von Ossietzky who was awarded the peace prize in 1935 for opposing Nazism and died in 1938.
  Visual Artists Guild will remember what Liu Xiaobo said at his Final Statement, “I have no enemies and no hatred… Hatred only eats away at a person’s intelligence and conscience and an enemy mentality can poison the spirit of an entire people (as the experience of our country during Mao era clearly shows.)
  As Visual Artists Guild’s mission in championing the right of freedom of speech and expression, we will forever be guided by Liu Xiaobo’s Final Statement, “Free expression is the base of human rights, the root of human nature and the mother of truth.  To kill free speech is to insult human rights, to stifle human nature, and to suppress truth.”
  May Liu Xiaobo rest in peace.
  At this time we call on the government of China to release Liu Xia from house arrest, allow her to leave China if she so wishes.
  Ann Lau
  Chair, Visual Artists GuildIn turn I responded with the following strategic observations in light of the need to lobby for Liu Xia’s safety:Dear Ann,I worry that Dalai Lama doing a Eulogy for Liu Xiaobo might harm Liu Xia. I think that is adding unnecessary burden to her current grief and difficulties. Yet he is only one religious leader expressing his concerns. So did many Christians.  The Koran urges all believers to help Widows and Orphans if you are of true faith.

  I would like to focus on the Faith angle because Religious freedom is part of Charter08

  At the very least contradictions between official Beijing policies v. Government Official’s Economic and Family actions  should be pointed out to the world at large.

  For example

  1) the suppression of muslim chinese inside china while having a strong economic chinese ties with arab oil countries.

  2) insistence on patriotism in chinese nationalism while his and nearly all high officials’ children are all citizens of the us and uk.

  3) the lack of respect for the highest academic prize in the world while espousing investments in education and development in every 5 yrs plan since Mao.

  Perhaps Chinese Communist Party should be reminded of northern military’s fear of  written words because of generations of illiteracy which resulted in 46 million chinese being starved to death in the times of Mao’s purging of intellectuals, booking burning and unsound national development policies which created famine all over China. That is consistent with Liu Xiaobo’s final wish, that he will be the last victim of Military China’s fear of  his and any other academic’s “written words”.

  Cecilia

• 17th July 2017 From concerned lobbies: “Right now, we are also focusing in getting China to allow Liu Xia to leave.  We are worried that with Liu Xiaobo’s passing, Liu Xia may not have the will to live and her depression will become more acute if they continue to put her in house arrest with little or no contact to the outside world.”
• 19th July 2017 香港市民支援愛國民主運動聯合會 Hong Kong Alliance 追思劉曉波 #LiuXiaobo #rememberLiuXiaobo#freeLiuXia #withLiuXiaobo（補充說明：相片透過多重曝光拍攝，以像投射効果。photo by Rheneas Choi）Many Memorial services were held for Liu Xiaobo all over the world. In Hong kong his image was projected onto a skyscraper.
• 

  (c) Photo Fengsuo ZHou 2017

  20th July 2017 San Francisco Various Overseas Chinese Organisations expressed their solidarity with the mission expressed by Liu Xiaobo in his Nobel Peace Prize Winning Documents, which set out a democratic future for all chinese people. Some organisations contemplated the great loss of a principled voice of integrity. 洪门合胜总堂长老赵炳贤主持三藩侨界悼念刘晓波记者会，中华总会馆总董余武良称赞他是民主烈士，洪门前总董林炳昌说刘晓波延续了苏格拉底这样为了言论良知自由而献身的哲人传统，国民党党部负责人余爱珍认为刘霞无罪，呼吁中共释放刘霞。丁毅代表黄花岗杂志哀悼。难得海外传统侨社首次纪念刘晓波，感谢他们发出正义声音。

• 21st July 2017-I briefly perused a poignant letter from Mark Rubio of the USA for Liu Xia which was later published in the international press on the 25th July2017. Many of us read the letter with heavy hearts, as chinese “grape vines” already indicated that  Liu Xia has disappeared after Liu Xiaobo’s funeral. There were some rumours that she was sent on a holiday to calm down after the grief of losing her partner, coming from China’s news media, alleging she is in Yunnan.
  

  (c) Hong Kong free press

  This remains unconfirmed by any sightings or official photographs. International concerned lobbyists have been working overtime to ascertain her safety and her whereabouts, to the point of asking the American Embassador in Beijing to visit her to verify her wellbeing. The world is deeply concerned and we must again ask why China has not produced any information detailing the wellbeing of Liu Xiaobo’s widow after stating openly and internationally that she is Free. If she has been sent on a restorative holiday in Yunnan, many of us would like to see some photos? Perhaps of Liu Xia, studying classic chinese calligraphy from some famous Yunnan calligraphy master? Afterall that is normally what educated, modern women of China do when they go on holidays! They take some rest, seek out the sights, eat and rest without being bothered by anyone. Sometimes, we take art and composition lessons from famous Yunnan artisans. It is what a NORMAL holiday would look like if this lady, who has committed no crime at all and yet was put under house arrest for 9 years because of her husband, were truly FREE. So, like many in the international community I look forward to seeing some holiday photos of Liu Xia where she is, at least free to walk about and enjoy the cultures of Yunnan, even if she is not free to travel overseas. We are not sure why something so basic, accorded to the widows of even ISIS criminals, are not given to a simple woman who happened to fall in love with a man whose words frightened certain factions of the “powers that be” inside China.

One comment on “#NobelPeacePrize #China: Events surrounding #LiuXiaobo ‘s #Death : The Facts. What led to #Freeliuxia movement?”

1. catherinehislop

   August 1, 2017

   

   Reblogged this on My Blog.

   LikeLike

   Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Enter your comment here...

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Email (required) (Address never made public)

Name (required)

Website

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s

Notify me of new comments via email.

Notify me of new posts via email.

Δ