Jail for Chinese dissident

A Beijing court sentenced Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo to 11 years in prison for subversion.

It was the longest term ever handed down for subversion charges.

Liu was the co-author of an unusually direct appeal for political liberalization in China called Charter 08. He was detained just before it was released last December. More than 300 people, including some of China's top intellectuals, signed it.

The verdict was issued at the No. 1 Intermediate People's Court in Beijing after a two-hour trial Wednesday in which prosecutors accused Liu of "serious" crimes.

Liu could have been sentenced for up to 15 years in prison under the charge.