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| Hu Jia wins European rights prize | Hu Jia wins European rights prize |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| One of China's most prominent human rights activists, Hu Jia, has won the European Parliament's prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. | One of China's most prominent human rights activists, Hu Jia, has won the European Parliament's prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. |
| Mr Hu, a democracy, environment and Aids activist, is serving a jail term for inciting subversion of state power. | Mr Hu, a democracy, environment and Aids activist, is serving a jail term for inciting subversion of state power. |
| The parliament's president said Mr Hu was "one of the real defenders of human rights" in China, and that the award would support Chinese activists. | The parliament's president said Mr Hu was "one of the real defenders of human rights" in China, and that the award would support Chinese activists. |
| An angry Beijing had put pressure on the parliament not to honour Mr Hu. | An angry Beijing had put pressure on the parliament not to honour Mr Hu. |
| "By awarding the Sakharov Prize to Hu Jia, the European Parliament firmly and resolutely acknowledges the daily struggle for freedom of all Chinese human rights defenders," said President Hans-Gert Poettering. | "By awarding the Sakharov Prize to Hu Jia, the European Parliament firmly and resolutely acknowledges the daily struggle for freedom of all Chinese human rights defenders," said President Hans-Gert Poettering. |
| "The European Parliament is sending out a signal of clear support to all those who support human rights in China," he said. | "The European Parliament is sending out a signal of clear support to all those who support human rights in China," he said. |
| Mr Hu is credited with chronicling instances of abuse and alerting both fellow Chinese human rights activists and foreign news organisations. | Mr Hu is credited with chronicling instances of abuse and alerting both fellow Chinese human rights activists and foreign news organisations. |
| He was convicted last April of inciting subversion, and is now serving a three-and-a-half-year jail sentence. His wife, Zeng Jinyan, is under effective house arrest. | He was convicted last April of inciting subversion, and is now serving a three-and-a-half-year jail sentence. His wife, Zeng Jinyan, is under effective house arrest. |
| Ms Zeng said she thought her husband would be happy with the award and the validation of his work. | |
| "I have always felt that support for Hu Jia will be helpful to him in the long term," she told AFP. | |
| 'Criminal' | 'Criminal' |
| Green party leaders Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Monica Frassoni said the awarding of the prize to Hu Jia was "a reflection of this very spirit of this prize, which supports free thought and honours human rights defenders fighting repression". | |
| Ms Zeng said the prize would help her husband in the long term | |
| Mr Cohn-Bendit and Ms Frassoni also criticised Beijing for failing to respect commitments it made to improve their human rights record prior to the Olympic Games in August. | Mr Cohn-Bendit and Ms Frassoni also criticised Beijing for failing to respect commitments it made to improve their human rights record prior to the Olympic Games in August. |
| But China, which views Mr Hu as a criminal, has rejected such criticism and attempted to stop the parliament from selecting Mr Hu for the prize. | But China, which views Mr Hu as a criminal, has rejected such criticism and attempted to stop the parliament from selecting Mr Hu for the prize. |
| In a letter to the president of EU assembly, China's ambassador to the EU, Song Zhe, said the award would "only deepen the misunderstanding between the two sides and is not conducive to the promotion of the cause of world human rights". | In a letter to the president of EU assembly, China's ambassador to the EU, Song Zhe, said the award would "only deepen the misunderstanding between the two sides and is not conducive to the promotion of the cause of world human rights". |
| Before the announcement, a spokesman for China's internal affairs ministry told a news conference in Beijing: "We all know what kind of person Hu Jia is. He is a criminal, convicted on the charge of inciting subversion of government. | |
| "To issue an award to such a criminal is interference in China's judicial sovereignty and totally against the initial purpose of this prize." | "To issue an award to such a criminal is interference in China's judicial sovereignty and totally against the initial purpose of this prize." |
| Mr Hu was also tipped as a possible winner of the Nobel Peace Prize this year, prompting Beijing to issue a veiled warning that the prize should go to the "right person". | Mr Hu was also tipped as a possible winner of the Nobel Peace Prize this year, prompting Beijing to issue a veiled warning that the prize should go to the "right person". |
| The prize was eventually given to Finnish ex-President Martti Ahtisaari. | The prize was eventually given to Finnish ex-President Martti Ahtisaari. |
| The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded annually since 1988 to "individuals or organisations who have made an important contribution to the fight for human rights or democracy". | The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded annually since 1988 to "individuals or organisations who have made an important contribution to the fight for human rights or democracy". |
| The prize, which comes with 50,000 euros ($64,000; £39,500), will be awarded in Strasbourg on 17 December. |