From AP:
Authorities barred diplomats from the U.S. and other countries from attending the trial Wednesday of a high-profile Chinese dissident who has called for sweeping political reforms and an end to Communist Party dominance.
The trial two days before Christmas is the latest example of authorities taking action against top activists around major holidays, rights groups said, perhaps with the hope that it would go unnoticed.
Liu was detained a year ago, just before the release of an unusually direct appeal for political liberalization he co-authored called Charter 08. More than 300 people, including some of China’s top intellectuals, signed before it was released.
