The 'Great FIrewall of China' works to block news of Liu Xiaobo's Nobel Peace Prize

Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. That was unwelcome news for the Chinese government. China reportedly went so far as to threaten reprisals against Norway if the Norwegian Nobel Institute gave Liu the prize.

Despite such threats, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Liu anyway. However, that hasn't stopped China from trying to prevent its citizens from hearing any positive news about the award. The Great Firewall of China is working overtime to try ensure that only the news the Chinese government deems "worthy" makes it through.

Online news sites are being blocked as well as queries made through Google and other search engines. Twitter is affected as well, and the scope of China's censorship is made evident by the fact that not even text messages are safe. CNN reports:

A Shanghai-based netizen, @littley, tweeted his unfortunate experience: "My SIM card just got de-activated, turning my iPhone to an iPod touch after I texted my dad about Liu Xiaobo winning the Nobel Peace Prize."

Citizens did hear something about the award, but not in a positive sense. A short statement from the foreign ministry thrashed the Norwegian Nobel committee for the choice of an imprisoned Chinese dissident for the prize, calling it "a blasphemy."

The most tech-savvy Chinese can still get information, however. They've learned to rely on proxy servers to get around the Great Firewall. As Liu's wife said to CNN, "People who want to find out the news will be able to do so."

Last year, Lio was tried for "inciting subversion of state power." He was sentenced to eleven years in prison and two years deprivation of political rights.