Empty chair left for jailed Chinese Nobel laureate as ‘strongest possible argument’

The intended occupant, Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, a democracy activist, is presently serving an 11-year prison sentence in China on subversion charges brought after having co-authored a bold call for sweeping changes to Beijing's one-party communist political system.

Chinese authorities have placed Liu's supporters, including his wife Liu Xia, under house arrest to prevent anyone from picking up his prize.

The day before, Chinese police surrounded Liu's house in Beijing. Officers guarded the entrance to the residential compound and checked the identities of all who entered.

About a dozen journalists stood outside while officers patrolled inside the compound in central Beijing.

China was infuriated when the prestigious $1.4 million prize was awarded to the 54-year-old literary critic, describing it as an attack on its political and legal system.

Beijing has also pressured foreign diplomats to stay away from Friday's ceremony. China and 18 other countries have declined to attend, including Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba.

At least 45 of 65 embassies in Oslo have accepted invitations.

Nobel committee secretary Geir Lundestad said Liu will be represented "by an empty chair ... the strongest possible argument" for awarding it to him.

It will be the first time the peace prize will not be handed out since 1936, when Adolf Hitler prevented German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky from accepting the award.

The prize can be collected only by the laureate or close family members.

At the same time, China tightened a wide-ranging clampdown on dissidents and blocked some news websites Friday, hours ahead of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Uniformed and plainclothes officers guarded the entrance to the compound in central Beijing where Liu's wife, Liu Xia, has lived under house arrest since the October announcement that her husband would receive the prize.

Guards checked the identities of all who entered, while about a dozen journalists stood just outside the gate keeping watch, international media reported.