Following the release a week ago of an open letter to Xi Jinping, Liu Xia is preparing to launch a court challenge to authorities’ treatment of herself, her brother, and her husband, 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo. Her brother Liu Hui was recently sentenced to 11 years in prison for fraud, but Liu Xia and supporters claim that his conviction was politically motivated. From the Associated Press:
Lawyers representing Liu Xia said she would sue Beijing police for illegal house arrest and prepare a petition for her husband’s subversion case to be retried.
[…] Shang Baojun, one of Liu Xia’s lawyers, said her decision to pursue legal action was driven by her frustration over the way authorities had treated her family, and that her brother’s conviction in particular had led her to speak out.
“Her biggest worry at the moment is her brother. She feels guilty for causing such huge trouble and negative influence to his family,” he said. “She says would do anything to alleviate her brother’s suffering.” [Source]
