China voiced its strong dissatisfaction and stern opposition to an award from the European Union (EU) to a Chinese criminal.

"We express strong dissatisfaction and stern opposition (to the award)," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a written statement in response to the award on Thursday evening.

The European Parliament (EP), a supervisory and consultative organ of the EU, announced on Thursday it would select Hu for the Sakharov Prize.

On April 3, Hu was sentenced by the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court to 3.5 years imprisonment, with one year's deprivation of political rights.

The verdict said Hu, an unemployed father aged 34 and the holder of a college degree, libeled the Chinese political and social systems, and instigated subversion of the state, which is a crime under Chinese law.

"Hu is a convicted criminal who is now in jail for subverting the state", Qin said, noting the award to Hu, in disguise of "protecting the human rights," is fabricating facts and confusing truth and has fully exposed its political attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs and infringe upon the country's judicial sovereignty.

"The fact has already proved and will continue to prove that such an act can neither change the fact of China's social development, nor deceive the European people," Qin said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2008)