Prominent Chinese artist Gao Zhen, known for his sculptures of former leader Mao Zedong, has been sentenced to three years in prison. He was found guilty of slandering China’s “heroes and martyrs”, according to his wife and human rights groups.
The sentencing follows two years of detention for Gao, who is 70, a Chinese citizen, and a US permanent resident. He was detained on 26 August 2024 while visiting China with his family. Police later raided his studio near Beijing.
The case has attracted international condemnation, partly because the artworks in question were created more than 10 years before the law banning defamation of China’s heroes and martyrs came into force in March 2018. Courts have previously used this law to charge individuals who challenge official accounts of Chinese history.
Gao’s wife, Zhao Yaliang, stated that the two years since her husband’s detention have been a painful ordeal for the family. She and their son have been unable to leave China since his detention, reportedly due to national security grounds.