 In 2008 , Hu Jia was awarded the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament recognizing his human rights advocacy . The same year , Hu and Gao Zhisheng received nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize , and were considered to be favorites for the award . Two years later , seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives nominated imprisoned lawyers Gao Zhisheng and Chen Guangcheng , along with fellow dissident Liu Xiaobo for the prize . The letter noted that these individuals have sought to " raise the Chinese people 's awareness of their dignity and rights , and to call their government to govern within its constitution , its laws , and the international human rights agreements it has signed , " and thereby made a significant contribution to peace . The Nobel Prize Committee awarded the honor to Liu in absentia in December 2010 . 
