Responding to reports that artist Liu Xia, widow of Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, has left China and is traveling to Germany, Patrick Poon, China Researcher at Amnesty International, commented:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is wonderful news that Liu Xia is finally free and that her persecution and illegal detention at the hands of the Chinese authorities has come to an end, nearly one year since Liu Xiaobo\u2019s untimely and undignified death.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLiu Xia never gave up on her wrongfully imprisoned late husband, and for this she was cruelly punished. The Chinese authorities tried to silence her, but she stood tall for human rights. However, after eight years under illegal house arrest her health is a cause for genuine concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow, the harassment of Liu Xia\u2019s family who remain in China must end too. It would be most callous of the Chinese authorities to use Liu Xia\u2019s relatives to put pressure on Liu Xia to prevent her from speaking out in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Liu Xia was held under illegal house arrest since Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.\u202fShe was closely monitored by state security agents and could only be reached by her closest friends by phone in limited circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In April, Liu Xia said she was \u201cprepared to die\u201d under house arrest, during a telephone conversation with her friend Liao Yiwu, an exiled writer. A harrowing recording<\/a> of this conversation was released on 2 May 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note to editors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Amnesty International\u2019s experts on human rights in China are available for interviews. Please contact:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hong Kong: Tom Mackey + 852 6026 3992 tom.mackey@amnesty.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n