Dalai Lama expresses displeasure over imprisonment of Chinese dissident

Dharmashala (Himachal Pradesh), Dec 29 (ANI): The 14th Dalai Lama on Tuesday expressed his displeasure over the imprisonment of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo for 11 years.

He urged Chinese authorities to release Xiaobo and other political prisoners.

Tibetan Government-in-exile spokesperson Thubten Samphel said : "His Holiness said he was saddened by this imprisonment and requested the Chinese government to release him (Liu Xiaobo) and all political prisoners. His Holiness also said that his imprisonment and sentencing him for 11 years is a violation of the binding principles of the Universal Declaration. It also violates the rights enshrined in China's old constitution."

Xiaobo, was jailed on Friday for campaigning for political freedoms.

Liu, who turned 54 on Monday, helped organise the "Charter 08" petition which called for sweeping political reforms, and before that was prominent in the 1989 pro-democracy protests centered on Tiananmen Square that were crushed by armed troops.

Liu has been among the most combative critics of China"s one-Party rule. His case attracted an outcry from Western government and rights activists at home and abroad. The unusually harsh sentence drew a fresh outcry that is likely to grow. (ANI)