Liu Xiaobo

Won this years Nobel Peace prize thereby pissing off an angry Chinese Government
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Shame that the Chinese Government has little understanding of the importance of free speech for their own well being as well as that of their citizens
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Sadly like many other Governments they are terrified of any dissent
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Liu Xiaobo's bravery is in stark contrast to that of many Governments around the World who do not have his courage to say what they feel about China's Human Rights record 
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Liu's last words before prison showed an unusual wisdom and great personal bravery
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In December 2009 Liu Xiaobo was sentenced to 11 years in jail.
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Here are extracts from the translation of a "final statement" he wrote two days before his incarceration began.
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"I have no enemies, and no hatred....
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I firmly believe that China's political progress will never stop
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and I'm full of optimistic expectations of freedom coming to China in the future
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because no force can block the human desire for freedom.
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China will eventually become a country of the rule of law in which Human Rights are supreme
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...I look forward to my country being a land of free expression,
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where all citizens' speeches are treated the same; here,
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different values, ideas, beliefs, political views...
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here compete with each other and coexist peacefully;
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here, majority and minority opinions will be given equal guarantees,
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in particular, political views different from those in power will be fully respected and protected;
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here, all political views will be spread in the sunlight for the people to choose;
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all citizens will be able to express their political views without fear,
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and will never be politically persecuted for voicing dissent;
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I hope to be the last victim of China's endless literary inquisition,
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and that after this no one else will ever be jailed for their speech.
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... Freedom of expression is the basis of Human Rights, the source of humanity and the mother of truth.
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To block freedom of speech is to trample on Human Rights, to strangle humanity and to suppress the truth."