The Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court sentenced prominent intellectual Liu Xiaobo on December 25, 2009, to 11 years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power," a crime under Article 105, Paragraph 2, of the Criminal Law. The court also sentenced Liu to two years' deprivation of political rights upon his release. Human Rights in China released an English translation of the court's verdict on December 30, 2009. The court cited essays Liu had written critical of the Communist Party and China's political system and his participation in Charter 08. The court highlighted Liu's use of the Internet, including his posting of essays online and his e-mailing of the charter and its signatures to overseas Web sites. Liu submitted his appeal of the decision to the Beijing High People's Court on December 29, according to a January 4, 2010, New York Times article.
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