2005 File photo of Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo in Guangzhou in southern China.
The United States of America is marking the fifth anniversary of the detention of Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo by calling for his release and an end to his wife's undeclared house arrest.
Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington remains deeply concerned about the couple's treatment, along with that of the other jailed government critics.
The United States will continue to raise concerns with China related to respect for the rule of law, human rights, religious freedom, and democratic principles, Kerry says in a statement issued on Monday in Washington.
Detained in 2008, Liu Xiaobo, was convicted of subversion in 2009 and sentenced to 11 years in prison for penning an appeal for democracy. He was awarded the peace prize in 2010. China's government angrily denounced the award.