Widow of late dissident Liu Xiaobo back in Beijing, relative says
Liu Xia – who has been largely out of contact with the outside world since her husband died – said to have returned to the capital but it’s unclear where she is
The widow of late Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo has returned to Beijing but it’s unclear where she is, a family member said on Tuesday, about three weeks after her husband’s death.
Liu Xia was permitted to be with her husband at a hospital in the northeastern city of Shenyang in his final days. But her whereabouts were unknown until now as she was placed under surveillance by Chinese authorities and has remained largely out of contact with the outside world since his death on July 13.
The family member told Kyodo News that Liu Xia had returned to Beijing, as supporters and foreign countries continued to urge the Chinese government to grant her freedom of movement.
The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy also quoted relatives of Liu Xia as saying that she was in Beijing on Tuesday but they were unable to speak to her directly.
“Liu Xia’s family members confirmed at 10am that both Liu Xia and Liu Hui [her brother] are in Beijing today,” the centre said in a statement, although it was unable to confirm whether she was at home.
