Liu Xia spends first night of freedom with friends in Berlin after being released by China
Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo’s widow arrived in German capital after spending years under house arrest
Liu Xia, the widow of the Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, spent her first night of freedom in almost a decade with close friends in Berlin.
Liu, who had spent years under de facto house arrest in China, arrived in Berlin’s Tegel airport on Tuesday afternoon, and soon afterward was driven away by a car parked on the runway, arranged by the German government.
Although the exact itinerary of her first night in Berlin as well as her precise whereabouts were unclear, she is known to have met with her long-time friend, the dissident poet Liao Yiwu.
In a tweet, Liao said Liu was physically weak but in good spirits.
“It’s been so many years, and it feels like she has been cut off from outside world for ages,” Liao said.
Liao helped bring her plight to the world’s attention by releasing voice recordings she made discussing the toll her ordeal had taken on her mental health.
A source said it was unlikely that Liu would meet the press, but on Friday a memorial event for Liu Xiaobo will be held in the German capital.