MEMBER BLOG TAG: ai weiwei
| Monday, April 25, 2011 9:50AM | | | | Empty Chair | Tags: Liu Xiaobo, Ai Weiwei, Liao Yiwu, detained writers, censorship, imprisonment, torture, freedom of expression, bloggers, journalists, activists, China, Middle East, revolution
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(New Yorkers protesting Ai Weiwei's detention. Image via ShameelArafin on Flickr)
At each event in the PEN World Voices Festival, an empty chair is put on stage to symbolize all the writers around the world who are denied free expression.
In December 2010, Chinese writer Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize but was unable to attend his own award ceremony because he was in prison. The award was given to an empty chair.
On April 3, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was detained. Rallies around the world were held to call for his release.
Writer Liao Yiwu, who was to attend this year's opening... | | | | | |
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