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Pelosi Statement on Sentencing of Liu Xiaobo

December 25, 2009

Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami/Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. - Speaker Pelosi released the following statement in response to the decision by Chinese authorities to sentence prominent Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo to eleven years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power." Liu Xiaobo was an original author of Charter 08, an online petition by Chinese citizens calling on the Chinese government to improve their policies on democracy and human rights. Charter 08 has over 8,000 signatures of Chinese citizens.

"The harsh sentencing of Liu Xiaobo demonstrates that Chinese authorities continue to disrespect the rule of law and the freedom of Chinese citizens to express their opinions.

"Liu Xiaobo is a courageous leader who has been sentenced to eleven years in prison for non-violently expressing his political views in writing. The harshness of his sentence is further proof of the power of his message in China.

"Freedom loving people will continue to call for his immediate and unconditional release and for the Chinese government to respect its own constitution and the rights of the Chinese people."