European diplomats banned from visiting Liu Xia

The widow of Liu Xiaobo has been held under house arrest since 2010, without any formal charges. Concerns about her physical and psychological health. Authorities promise her that she can emigrate, but always postpone the date and refuse to issue passport. "She is being teased by the authorities'".

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Chinese authorities have blocked five European diplomats who wanted to visit Liu Xia, widow of the late dissident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, one of the authors of Charter 08, a manifesto for human rights and democracy in China.

Liu Xia, 57, has been held under house arrest since 2010, since her husband was awarded the prize, although there is no formal charge against her.

Liu Xiaobo, sentenced to 11 years for "subversion against the state" because of some articles he wrote about democracy, was left to die in prison from liver cancer.

The European group tried to meet with Liu Xia last May 11, but they were stopped at the gate by the security guard. After checking their documents, he did not allow them to proceed.

The EU diplomats rushed to visit the woman following news about her deteriorating physical and psychological health.

Liao Yiwu, a dissident writer friend of the family, now in exile in Germany, published a telephone conversation with Liu Xia in which the woman says she wants to let herself die because of the refusal to allow her emigrate to Germany for treatment.

The European Union and the United States have already asked Xi Jinping several times to let the woman be freed and allowed to go abroad.

Ye Du, a writer from Guangdong, and family friend, says that Liu Xia is being "teased by the authorities". "First they told her she could leave the country after the 'two sessions' [the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Consultative Policy Conference, held in March]. Then, after the two sessions, they said she would leave towards the end of April. They are lying all the time She still does not even have a passport. "

It should be noted that in China you are not entitled to a passport. It is issued by the government at the request of the interested party and after they have listed data and their reasons for traveling abroad.

• China
• religious freedom
• liu xia
• liu xiaobo
• nobel prize
• liao yiwu
• house arrest
• charter 08
• human rights
• democracy