Mo Yan, the Chinese Nobel Literature Prize winner, unexpectedly called for the release of jailed compatriot Liu Xiaobo, who won the Nobel Peace Prize two years ago, having come under fire from rights activists for not speaking up for him.
The author, a portly 57-year-old whose adopted pen name Mo Yan means “don’t speak”, said he had read some of Mr Liu’s literary criticisms in the 1980s, but that he had no understanding of Mr Liu’s work once it had turned towards politics.
“I hope he can achieve his freedom as soon as possible,” Mr Mo told reporters on Friday in his home town of Gaomi in the northern province of Shandong. His bold remarks are likely to embarrass Beijing which has lauded his victory and denigrated Mr Liu’s prize.
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