Five-year anniversary of Liu Xia’s arrest

Washington—Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today released the following statement marking the five-year anniversary of the arrest of Liu Xia, the wife of Chinese democracy activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo:

“This week marks the five-year anniversary that Liu Xia was placed under house arrest in China. She has never been charged with a crime and remains confined to her apartment because her husband, respected democracy activist Liu Xiaobo, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.

“Over the past five years, Liu Xia’s health has sharply deteriorated. She suffers from anxiety, depression, severe back pain and had a heart attack last year. Her repeated requests to leave the country for medical treatment have been denied.

“We urgently request the Chinese government allow Liu Xia to seek medical treatment abroad and release Liu Xiaobo, the world’s only jailed Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Such action would be a welcome humanitarian gesture.”

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