Nobel Peace Prize
Award to Liu Xiaobo a timely reminder of the need to improve human rights in China
Commenting on the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned Chinese human rights defender Liu Xiaobo, the chair of the EP subcommittee on human rights Heidi Hautala, a Finnish Green MEP, said:
"We welcome the decision to award this year's Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese human rights defender Liu Xiaobo. It serves as a timely reminder of the continuing problems with human rights in China and is a strong signal of support for those fighting for basic rights and freedoms in China. Clearly, as a first step, China should immediately release Liu Xiaobo, Hu Jia, and all others imprisoned human rights defenders in China."
* The European Parliament is a long standing supporter of human rights defenders in China. In 2008 the European Parliament Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought was awarded to a renowned human rights defender in China, Hu Jia.
