Chinese Nobel winner dodges call for freedom of jailed laureate

STOCKHOLM Dec 6 (Reuters) - Mo Yan, the Chinese winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, on Thursday declined to issue a direct call for the release of jailed compatriot and Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo.

"I have already issued my opinion about this matter," he told a news conference in Stockholm days ahead of the formal award ceremony.

In October, after the award announcement, Mo said he hoped that Liu would achieve his freedom as soon as possible.

He told the news conference on Thursday that the Nobel prize was for literature, not for politics.