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Liu Xia appears in public Liu Xia defiant as she appears in public for first time in two years
(about 4 hours later)
The wife of the jailed Nobel peace prize winner Liu Xiaobo has been seen in public for the first time in more than two and a half years. The wife of jailed Nobel peace prize winner Liu Xiaobo wept and shouted: "Tell everybody I'm not free," as she was glimpsed in public for the first time in two-and-a-half years.
Liu Xia – who has herself been kept under strict house arrest – smiled and blew kisses to foreign diplomats and media outside the trial of her brother Liu Hui, 43. Liu Xia has been kept under strict house arrest since her husband won the award in October 2010, despite not having been accused of an offence.
Prosecutors accuse Liu Hui and his business partner of fraud over a property dispute that has already been resolved, but the defendants and supporters say they believe the case is politically motivated She was sighted on Tuesday outside the trial of her brother, Liu Hui. Prosecutors accused him of fraud over a property dispute that has already been resolved, but his lawyers and supporters say they believe the case is politically motivated.
Liu Xia shouted: "I'm not free – tell everybody I'm not free," as she glimpsed the crowd outside the courthouse in Huairou, a diplomat said. Liu Xia cried, smiled and blew kisses to foreign diplomats and media – some of whom she knew prior to her isolation – outside the courthouse in Huairou, just outside Beijing.
She added: "I love you – I miss you," before she was escorted away. Liu Xia shouted: "I'm not free – tell everybody I'm not free!" a diplomat said.
The diplomat added that Liu looked physically well but was clearly emotional – leaping up and down when she first spotted the people waiting outside. She added: "I love you – I miss you," before being taken away.
She was allowed to lunch nearby with her brother's lawyers, Mo Shaoping and Shang Baojun, but the restaurant was surrounded by police who prevented anyone from approaching. Liu Xia, who has been kept isolated with no phone or access to the internet since her husband won the Nobel peace prize in October 2010, had earlier been told she would not be allowed to attend the hearing.
Liu has been kept isolated with no phone or internet since her husband won the Nobel peace prize in October 2010. She had earlier been told she would not be allowed to attend the hearing. She is allowed to visit her parents only once a week. The diplomat added that Liu looked physically well but was clearly emotional – jumping up and down when she first spotted the people waiting outside.
Her brother could face up to 14 years in jail over the charges, his defence lawyer Shang has previously told reporters. According to the South China Morning Post, Shang said the case had piled additional mental stress on Liu Xia. She was allowed to eat lunch nearby with her brother's lawyers, Mo Shaoping and Shang Baojun, but the restaurant was surrounded by police who prevented anyone else from approaching.
The other defence lawyer, Mo Shaoping, told the Associated Press at the time of arrest that the 3m yuan [£318,000] in dispute had already been returned and there was insufficient evidence of a crime. Mo told the Guardian Liu believed the charge against her brother was untenable. He said other relatives had also attended the hearing, which lasted three hours, and that it was not clear when the verdict and sentence would be given.
In December AP managed to reach Liu's apartment in Beijing despite the fact she is kept under strict guard. In her first interview for 26 months she wept as she described her experience, telling the reporters: "Kafka could not have written anything more absurd and unbelievable than this." "I think the facts are not clear and the evidence is insufficient. I hope the court will make a fair judgement," he added.
Liu Xia's husband is serving 11 years for incitement to subvert state power, having co-authored and gathered signatures for Charter 08, a document promoting democratic reforms. But the Chinese authorities have never acknowledged detaining Liu Xia, nor accused her of any wrongdoing. The defence said that the 3m yuan (£319,000) in dispute had already been returned before Liu Hui's arrest.
In an interview with the Observer prior to her detention she said: "I'm not so interested in politics and I don't have much hope of changing society … I seldom read what he writes. In December, Associated Press managed to contact Liu at her apartment in Beijing despite the fact she is kept under strict guard. In her first interview for 26 months, she wept as she described her "absurd and unbelievable" experience, telling reporters: "Kafka could not have written anything more absurd and unbelievable than this."
"A number of people who think keeping her case on the radar screen is important have found ways to get news from her with a lot of ingenuity," said Nicholas Bequelin, senior Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.
"I have no doubt that this trial is designed to bring pressure on Liu Xia and to intimidate her into having even less contact with the outside world than she has at the moment. I don't think there is any ambiguity. This is not a normal case making its way through the judicial system.
"This case is retaliation and is designed to coerce her into silence. Her case has become exhibit A about unlawful tactics the police or government use to silence its critics – and their relatives. It's so nakedly unlawful and egregious. She has not been accused of anything."
Liu Xiaobo, writer and human rights activist, is serving 11 years for incitement to subvert state power, and gathered signatures for Charter 08, a document promoting democratic reforms. But the Chinese authorities have never acknowledged detaining Liu Xia, nor accused her of any wrongdoing.
When her case was raised in December, following the Associated Press interview, foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "I am not aware of what you mentioned, but I want to point out that the legitimate rights of citizens are protected by the rule of law."
In an interview with the Observer prior to her detention, she said: "I'm not so interested in politics and I don't have much hope of changing society... I seldom read what [my husband] writes.
"But when you live with such a person, even if you don't care about politics, politics will care about you.""But when you live with such a person, even if you don't care about politics, politics will care about you."
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