Liu Xiaobo has been arrested for alleged agitation activities aimed at subversion of government, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said Wednesday.

He was arrested on Tuesday upon the approval of the procuratorate, the police said in a statement.

"Liu has been engaged in agitation activities, such as spreading of rumors and defaming of the government, aimed at subversion of the state and overthrowing the socialism system in recent years," the statement said.

Liu has confessed to the charge in preliminary police investigation, the statement added.

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2009)