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http://news.yahoo.com Hong Kong protesters demand China free Nobel winner Liu HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hundreds of people marched in Hong Kong on Sunday to demand China free dissident Liu Xiaobo, a week before the human rights activist is formally awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. Holding banners reading "Free Liu Xiaobo" and singing for his release to the strumming of guitars, nearly one thousand marched to Beijing's liaison office in support of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, who is the first Chinese recipient of the accolade. China denounced Liu's award as an "obscenity" and sparked a torrent of diplomatic scorn toward Norway, with Beijing pressuring diplomats to boycott the ceremony. China has in return come under fire for its stance on Liu. Former Czech President Vaclav Havel and Nobel Peace prize winner Desmond Tutu, writing in a British newspaper on Sunday, became the latest to urge Beijing to free him from jail and his wife from house arrest. "China's support for abusive regimes and the brutal force with which it crushes dissent within its own borders demonstrates that substantial reform is needed if China is to be viewed within the international community as a true leader," the veteran pro-democracy activists wrote in an editorial in the Observer [ID:nLDE6B308M]. Sunday's Hong Kong protesters, closely watched by police, erected a net outside the building to which they tied ribbons symbolizing their support for Liu while condemning "oppressive" Chinese authorities. "Shame on the Chinese Communist Party," shouted Hong Kong lawmaker and activist Leung Kwok-hung. INSPIRED BY HAVEL Many protesters also criticized China for imposing house arrest on Liu's wife, Liu Xia, and barring other prominent dissidents and rights campaigners from leaving the country in recent weeks, fearful they might attend the lavish awards ceremony which normally involves presentation of medals and an acceptance speech for laureates. "The Chinese government is still very much oppressing the rights of Liu Xiaobo, his wife and other dissidents in China," Hong Kong lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan told Reuters at the rally. "China's international image will be damaged if it doesn't release Liu and his wife," he added. Liu, a 54-year-old activist, writer and poet, is believed to be the fifth laureate in the 109-year history of the prize not able to attend the award ceremony for political reasons, though a symbolic empty chair will be used to represent him instead. Lee, the Hong Kong lawmaker, who will travel to Oslo for the ceremony, said he and around 100 prominent exiled Chinese dissidents and supporters from around the world, planned to hold protests outside the Chinese embassy and support rallies around the Norwegian capital in the run-up to the prizegiving. Liu is an intellectual and co-author of "Charter 08," a petition calling for sweeping political reforms and freedoms, putting him at odds with stability-obsessed authorities who sentenced him to 11-years imprisonment last Christmas day on several charges, including subversion, that Liu has denied. Liu's manifesto was based on a letter by Havel and other Czechoslovak intellectuals in the 1970s protesting against the communist government. Havel also nominated Liu for the Nobel Peace prize. Archbishop Tutu won the 1984 Nobel Peace prize for efforts to end South Africa's apartheid system by peaceful means. The pair are also honorary co-chairs of Freedom Now, a group which represents Liu as his international legal counsel. (Reporting by James Pomfret and Stefanie McIntyre; Additional reporting by Wojciech Moskwa in Oslo; Editing by Daniel Magnowski)
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