Prominent economist Mao Yushi was barred from leaving China, for the first time in many years, apparently because the authorities fear he might go to Oslo to attend the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony next week to support jailed laureate Liu Xiaobo .
Mao signed Charter 08, a human rights manifesto co-authored by Liu, and voiced his support for Liu, condemning the mainland authorities after they jailed Liu for 11 years for 'inciting subversion of state power'.
Mao said he planned to leave for Singapore on Wednesday morning to attend an international conference on co-operation in the Himalayan River Basin countries, but he was stopped by immigration officials at Beijing Capital International Airport.
'I have always been critical but I have had no trouble leaving the country, which I have done dozens of times in past years,' Mao said. 'I was told the grounds for barring me from leaving the country were 'jeopardising national security' without any further explanation. But I think it might have to do with my signing Charter 08 and Liu Xiaobo's winning the Nobel Peace Prize.'
The 81-year-old said he was not planning to go to Oslo but that a police official in Beijing's Xicheng district, where he lives, told him to expect to be barred from leaving the country.
Mao is not the only one put on a government blacklist. Many of Liu's supporters say they were prevented from leaving the country recently.
