Clapping solemnly, dignitaries in Norway paid tribute to Nobel Peace Prize winner, imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo – with an empty chair.

Chinese security agents launched a wide-ranging clampdown on dissidents today, hours before the award Nobel Peace Prize award to imprisoned democracy activist Liu Xiaobo.

The Nobel Peace Prize may not be handed out this year because no one from jailed Chinese dissident award-winner Liu Xiaobo’s family is likely to attend the ceremony, the award committee said today.

IMPRISONED Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize yesterday for using non-violence to demand fundamental human rights in his homeland.