Restriction on freedom of speech are “”scandal in the history of democracy”
A group of 23 Chinese Communist Party elders, including the former personal secretary to Mao Zedong, have written a public letter calling on the Chinese government to allow for freedom of speech just days after jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize. The letter, which is widely available online, calls current restrictions on freedom of speech a “scandal in the history of democracy.” However, the document does not explicitly mention Liu, out of concern such a move might provoke a censorship crackdown.