Liu XiaoBo. Source: Getty Images
The BBC reports that Liu XiaoBo, winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, has died at age 61 from liver cancer.
Liu was one of the principal authors of Charter 08, a pro-democracy manifesto. In 2009 he was sentenced to an 11-year prison sentence on charges of "subverting state power." In 2010 his wife, Liu Xia, was placed under house arrest, despite no charges being lodged against her.
In May Liu was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and released from a Liaoning prison on medical parole. Despite hospital care, his condition steadily deteriorated, and declined rapidly in the last week.
Discussion of Liu and his Nobel prize are heavily censored in Chinese media, so it's doubtful there will be an announcement of his death in state media and domestic social media.