20 detained in Beijing for celebrating Nobel to Liu

BEIJING - Police in the Chinese capital detained at least 20 human rights activists who were celebrating Friday’s award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the jailed dissident writer Liu Xiaobo, one of the activists said.

“First we went to karaoke because we feel happy and we also took photos (of each other),” activist Wang Lihong told DPA by telephone.

When the group of about 20 activists moved to a restaurant near the east gate of Beijing’s Ditan Park, more than 50 police in a dozen vehicles swooped down and demanded that the activists “cooperate with their investigation”, Wang said.

“The police officers’ actions and words were very rude,” she said, adding that the activists were taken to the nearby Hepingli police station.

Wang said she was speaking from Beijing’s Jingshan police station after she and several other activists were transferred there.

Other activists who reportedly joined the group included lawyer Zhao Zhangqing and Liu Jingsheng, a dissident who took part in China’s 1989 democracy movement and later served eight years in prison.

Several other dissidents and rights activists said they planned to celebrate Liu’s award at local restaurants.

A group of up to 100 supporters gathered outside Liu’s Beijing apartment compound, which his wife, Liu Xia, was prevented from leaving.

Dozens of journalists also waited outside the compound, monitored by about 30 uniformed police and dozens of plain-clothes officers.