The widow of Chinese poet and activist Liu Xiaobo was finally granted freedom on Tuesday. The 57-year-old had been under house arrest, despite facing no formal charges, since her husband was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for “his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.” While her release was celebrated, it is unlikely to herald any meaningful changes to Beijing’s treatment of dissidents or reliance on censorship.

Liu Xia’s only crime was loving Liu Xiaobo. He was a Chinese democracy advocate who was arrested and sentenced to 11 years for “inciting subversion of state power,” a charge widely used to punish dissidents. Among his offenses was drafting the Charter 08 manifesto calling for democracy, freedom of expression, and human rights. Upon its initial publication in 2008, more than 10,000 people signed the manifesto.