Liu Xiaobo's Story
Liu Xiaobo is a political activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner, dissident and thorn in the side of the Chinese government. He was present in Tiananmen Square and he has repeatedly called for political change. He helped write a manifesto for change, called Charter 08, calling for reform in China. As a result he is now in prison serving eleven years for 'subverting state power'. All his writings are considered subversive by the Chinese government and his name is censored meaning that most Chinese people have not heard or him. He has said:
'I hope therefore to be able to transcend my personal vicissitudes in understanding the development of the state and changes in society, to counter the hostility of the regime with the best of intentions, and defuse hate with love...'
Find out more from this BBC News story.
Some Questions:
- What do you think a person has to do to be called a 'dissident'?
- What other dissidents can you think of?
- Why do you suppose some governments put dissidents in prison?
- Do you think Christians can be dissidents and if so how?
- What do you make of Liu Xia's hopes for her husband and what would you say to her?