Activist arrested for alleged attempt to 'overthrow' Chinese state

Prominent dissident Liu Xiaobo, who co-authored a manifesto calling for sweeping reforms to China’s rigid political system, has been arrested for activities allegedly aimed at overthrowing the country’s socialist system, state media said today.

Mr Liu has been in police custody since being taken away on December 8, a day before the political document was released.

“(Mr) Liu has been engaged in agitation activities, such as the spreading of rumours and defaming of the government, aimed at subversion of the state and overthrowing the socialism system in recent years,” a Beijing police statement said.

Mr Liu’s lawyer said he has not been informed officially of the charges.

It marks the highest-profile arrest of a Chinese dissident since human rights activist Hu Jia was detained last year ahead of the Beijing Olympics. Mr Hu was sentenced to more than three years in prison for sedition last April.

According to news sources, police have obtained permission from the courts to arrest Mr Liu on suspicion of committing a crime. His lawyer said this indicates the investigation into Mr Liu’s case is still continuing and that he has yet to be formally charged. The next step would be indictment.

Agitating to subvert is a less serious charge than subversion and can be punished with five years in prison or less, or a period of deprivation of political rights. Subversion carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Mr Liu, 53, is a former university professor who spent 20 months in jail for joining the 1989 student-led protests in Tiananmen Square.