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 Relatives have denounced Liu Hui's conviction on fraud charges in a real estate dispute as political payback for the strong pro-democracy stance taken by Liu Xiaobo, who has been imprisoned on subversion charges since 2009.
Lawyer Shang Baojun said the court in suburban Beijing's Huairou district turned down Liu Hui's appeal at a 20-minute hearing attended by the defendant.
"We're very disappointed by this outcome," Shang told The Associated Press.
Foreign diplomats and journalists who sought to attend the trial were denied entry to the courthouse, which was cordoned off with crime scene tape and surrounded by dozens of police officers and private security guards in a sign of the case's sensitivity and high visibility.
Liu Hui's sister, Liu Xia, has been under house arrest since her husband was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. Shang said that Liu Xia, who has protested her extralegal detention, did not attend Friday's hearing because she wasn't feeling well.
The European Union's political officer in Beijing, Charles Parton, said Liu Hui's case was being closely followed because of its possible ties to Liu Xiaobo's conviction. Parton also called for the lifting of what he described as Liu Xia's "illegal house arrest."
"The EU would like to recall the great importance it attaches to the respect of human rights all over the world, the situation of human rights defenders and of their family members, as well as the due process of rule of law in China," Parton said.
Liu Hui's brother, Liu Tong, was permitted to attend the hearing. He said the outcome was "very, very disappointing."
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 "In our family, we were all hoping to see a good result, a result that would give our family and all of us hope," Liu said.
Liu said Liu Hui's case has caused his sister's generally poor health to deteriorate further.
"This issue brings a lot of psychological pressure and affects her greatly," he said.
Liu Xiaobo was prosecuted after he co-authored a bold call for sweeping changes to Beijing's one-party communist political system in a document titled called Charter
'08. A court dismissed his appeal in early 2010.
His Nobel Peace Prize incensed China's leaders, who have retaliated against Norway, where the prize is awarded. It has frozen the country's diplomats out of meetings, halted trade talks and blocked salmon imports.
Liu Hui's lawyers have said his dispute over a development deal in Beijing had already been resolved, with the disputed 3 million yuan ($500,000) handed over to partners in the transaction, before the case went to trial.
[Associated
Press; By ISOLDA MORILLO]
Associated Press reporter Aritz Parra contributed to this report.
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