Charter 08’s Liu Xiaobo Deserves Public Support from Obama

Nicholas Hamisevicz / December 11, 2009

Liu Xiaobo, one of the primary drafters of the Charter 08 manifesto by Chinese intellectuals calling for protection of human rights, comprehensive political reforms, and a democratic government in China, has had an official case filed against him for “inciting subversion of state power.” Liu, a veteran of the 1989 Tiananmen movement and an influential writer, has been detained a year without charge. Now the strong likelihood of his conviction sends a message to other Charter 08 signatories broadly and other human rights activists that the Chinese government will do what it takes to subvert influential movements toward more political freedoms in China.

President Obama should publicly protest and demand the release of Liu Xiaobo. The U.S. House of Representatives has already spoken forcefully on this issue.

Jeff Bader, Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council, stated that during his trip last month to Asia, President Obama made it clear to Chinese officials that the U.S. would “speak directly to the Chinese about it [human rights] publicly and privately.” Liu’s case is the archetypal example of human rights in China that can and should be publicly cited and discussed by the Obama administration. (more…)