2010 Nobel Peace Prize

The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to imprisoned Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo "for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China". The laureate, a little-known figure inside China due to official censorship,[1][2] is a veteran of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, and co-author of the Charter 08 manifesto for which he was sentenced to 11 years in prison by Chinese authorities on 25 December 2009.[3] Liu was chosen over a record number of nominations – more than 200 – to receive the award.[3]

Many Western intellectuals and politicians praised the decision, although the Chinese government bitterly attacked the decision. Heavy official censorship was applied on the Internet, on television and in the print media inside China following the announcement. The Chinese government denounced the award as "blasphemy", and summoned the Norwegian ambassador in Beijing "to officially share their opinion, their disagreement and their protest." Chinese citizens who attempted to celebrate were arrested.[4] Liu's wife was put under house arrest before the Nobel Committee's decision was announced. In November, the Chinese Embassy in Oslo circulated a note verbale to all other foreign diplomatic missions in Oslo requesting that their countries do not attend the award ceremony on 10 December.[5]

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