After the Nobel Peace Prize Announcement: Liu Xiaobo's wife Missing in China

The wife of 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Awardee, jailed Chinese strong advocate for human rights, freedom of expression, and democracy in China Liu Xiaobo is missing since Friday after he was awarded the award by the Nobel Committee, Agence France-Presse' Goh Chai Hin reports.

Beijing-based Liu Xia disappeared into police custody Friday night when she was supposed to inform her husband about the award.

"We have been unable to contact her, so we do not know where she is," lawyer Ding Xikui told AFP.

"We are concerned about her safety. We believe that they (police) are taking her to see Liu Xiaobo, but we have no way of confirming this."

Her mobile phone had been turned off since Friday and her relatives and lawyer doesn't know her whereabouts.

Liu Xiaobo was setenced last year to 11 years in jail for helping to organise and disseminate a document called Chapter 08 , which calls for sweeping political reforms in China.

The document argued that "without freedom, China will always remain far from civilised ideals". It also called for a new constitution and for direct elections.

Originally signed by 300 intellectuals, Charter 08 quickly accumulated 10-thousand signatures, and supporters from all walks of life.

"As expected, Chinese officials have pulled out all the stops to prevent citizens from learning that the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Liu Xiaobo," the Chinese Human Rights Defenders said in a statement.

"Officials ordered managers at China's four main domestic Internet portals Ten Cent, Sina, Sohu, and Net Ease to remove pages dedicated to the 2010 Nobel Prizes," it said.

"This is a big headache for the government," rights lawyer Teng Biao told AFP.

"They don't want people to know this matter... they don't want people gathering and celebrating over this," he said, while adding that some of those detained had since been released.