Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, who is serving an 11-year prison term on subversion charges, was allowed out of jail briefly last month to mourn the death of his father, his brother said yesterday.
'He was home for half an hour,' said Liu Xiaoxuan, confirming that his brother was allowed to return to the family's home in Dalian, in Liaoning, on September 18. 'He was accompanied out by my older brother.'
Liu was given leave seven days after his father died, allowing him time to pay his respects in accordance with Chinese tradition. His three brothers were also allowed a rare visit to Jinzhou prison, also in Liaoning, to see the former literature professor last Wednesday, he said.
'He was fine,' said Liu Xiaoxuan, who gave only curt answers before hanging up the phone. 'He was stoical and he was managing okay.'
The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said the visits represented Liu's first family contact in nearly a year. His wife saw him in prison October 10, two days after his Nobel Prize was announced. He last saw his brothers that August.
His wife, Liu Xia, has been held under house arrest and incommunicado ever since, with her phone disconnected and visitors barred from seeing her.