Beijing, Jun 27:  China’s jailed Nobel laureate, granted medical parole for treatment of liver cancer, is receiving medical treatment from eight renowned cancer specialists in the country, prison officials said.

Liu, 61, was sentenced to 11 years in jail on December, 2009 by a court in Beijing for engaging in activities designed to overthrow the government (his opposition to one party rule). He was conferred the Nobel Peace prize in 2010.

Liu has been granted medical parole after being diagnosed with liver cancer. A hospital of the China Medical University has assigned a team composed of eight renowned cancer experts to formulate medical plans and treat Liu, state-run Global Times quoted the Liaoning Prison Administrative Bureau as saying.

His lawyer Mo Shaoping said Liu will not seek treatment abroad.

His wife, Liu Xia, remained under house arrest in Beijing and could not be reached for comment. The apartment compound where she lived was under surveillance, with security guards barring journalists’ entry last night, Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reported today.

“He was an energetic person before he went to jail. Seven years later, who could have imagined he would be battling an incurable illness?” dissident journalist Gao Yu, herself granted medical parole after being jailed for leaking state secrets, told the Post.

His supporters, meanwhile, called for his full release from the prison.

Exiled Tiananmen student leaders Wu’er Kaixi and Wang Dan, issuing a joint statement, said: “We are shocked and devastated to learn that [Liu] has been suffering from cancer in China’s brutal prison environment”.

“We firmly demand immediate restoration of his normal contact with the outside world,” the statement said.

Both took part in the Tiananmen protests in 1989 for democracy in China which was crushed with a massive force.

Amnesty International also called for Liu to be “unconditionally released”. Sophie Richardson, China director of Human Rights Watch, suggested the Nobel Prize Committee head to Shenyang immediately.

“The Chinese authorities should immediately ensure that Liu Xiaobo receives adequate medical care, and that all he and all other imprisoned for exercising their human rights are immediately and unconditionally released,” Amnesty International said in a statement following news of Liu s parole.

Liu a well-known advocate of democracy opposed the one party rule of the Communist Party. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. China opposed the Nobel Peace prize to him and downgraded relations to Norway. The relations were normalised again only  last year.

Born in 1955, Liu was a worker in his youth. He got his master’s degree in 1984 and began working as a teacher at Beijing Normal University. He obtained his PhD in 1988.

  Asia, China, justice, People’s Republic of China