China: Dissident artist jailed for satirical Mao sculptures
Sculptor Gao Zhen was charged under China's "Law on the Protection of Heroes and Martyrs." His supporters have called for his immediate release.
China has sentenced dissident artist Gao Zhen, 70, to three years in jail for satirical sculptures that caricature former leader Mao Zedong, according to Reuters. The court in Beijing found Zhen guilty of infringing upon the reputation of heroes, under the 2018 Law on the Protection of Heroes and Martyrs, which was strengthened in 2021.
The artworks in question, "Mao's Guilt" and the "Miss Mao" series, were created in 2005 and 2009, respectively, well before the law's existence. Gao Zhen, who resides in New York, was arrested during a visit to Beijing in August 2024 and tried in a one-day trial. His wife, Zhao Yaliang, expressed shock and distress over the verdict, stating that she and their son, a U.S. citizen, have been barred from leaving China since his detention two years ago.
Amnesty International's China Director, Sarah Brooks, condemned the punishment as a clear violation of freedom of expression, emphasizing that artists should not face criminal charges for challenging official narratives. Gao Zhen's immediate, unconditional release is the only just outcome, researcher Shane Yi reiterated.
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