刘霞
Liu Xia left China and flew to Germany for medical treatment on 10 July 2018. The same day, her younger brother, Liu Hui, remaining in China, wrote in social media WeChat, that Liu Xia flew to Europe to start her new life there, and that he was grateful to all who were helping Liu Xia these past years. Liu Hui was sentenced to 11 years in prison on fraud charges in 2013, but released in 2015 on bail with stringent conditions. Chinese human rights activist Hu Jia said that Liu Hui, by remaining in China, was used as a hostage. Liu Xia has long insisted that her younger brother should leave China with her, due to fears that Liu Hui would used in China to limit her freedom of speech abroad.