A Chinese court sentenced the brother-in-law of jailed Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo to 11 years in prison on charges of fraud, his lawyer said.
Liu Xia (R), wife of jailed activist Liu Xiaobo, arrives at court for the trial of her brother on April 23, 2013, accompanied by human rights lawyer Mo Shaoping. Liu Hui, the brother, has been jailed for 11 years.
Police had detained Liu Hui in January on suspicion of committing fraud in connection with a real-estate deal. Attorney Mo Shaoping told AFP that Liu Hui was sentenced at a court in Beijing.
"The sentence is based on insufficient evidence and is completely unjust," Mo said, adding that Liu Hui would appeal.
Political activist Liu Xiaobo was jailed for 11 years in 2009 for "subversion" after he circulated a charter calling for democratic reforms. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
The Nobel winner's wife, Liu Xia, attended the trial Sunday, Mo said. She left home in April after years under house arrest to attend her brother's opening trial session.
"Liu Xia is very outraged by the sentence and thinks it's completely political persecution," Mo said.
An official who answered the phone at the court could not immediately confirm the sentence.