Beijing, July 15: Nobel Peace Prize laureate and dissident Liu Xiaobo was cremated Saturday after succumbing to cancer while in custody, even as Beijing said his wife was ‘‘free so far’’ but must ‘‘avoid trouble’’ amid international pressure to let her leave China.
The 61-year-old human rights activist died due to multiple organ failure following a battle with liver cancer Thursday. Family members and friends of Liu bade farewell to him at a private ceremony in China’s Shenyang city, an official told reporters in the city.
Liu’s body was cremated in accordance with the will of his family and local customs, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Prior to cremation, a simple ceremony was held with the attendance of Liu’s wife Liu Xia and his friends. ‘‘The cremation is as per local customs respecting relatives’ wishes,’’ Zhang Qingyang, spokesperson for Shenyang’s information office, said.
The Chinese government, which had banned Liu’s work and even his name, continues to censor the story of his death. China’s media outlets, all controlled by the ruling Communist Party, ignored the news on Liu. Liu Xia, who was also an artist, poet and a long-time associate of Liu in his fight for democracy in China, was allowed to be with him after he was granted medical parole last month.
After Liu’s death pressure was mounted by the international community to allow Liu Xia to travel abroad to receive the Noble Prize awarded in absentia to her husband in 2010. It was symbolically presented to an empty chair.
Asked about Liu Xia’s condition, Zhang said, ‘‘Liu Xia is a Chinese citizen, and Chinese relevant departments will protect her legal interests.” ‘Liu is free so far, and we want her to avoid trouble because she was in grief,’’ Zhang added. PTI