Chinese artist Gao Zhen sentenced to three years in prison for satirical sculptures of Mao Zedong

Chinese artist Gao Zhen was sentenced by the People’s Court of Sanhe City in Hebei Province to up to three years in prison for “infringing upon the reputation and honour of heroes and martyrs,” based on three satirical Mao Zedong sculptures exhibited in 2009. Authorities confiscated 118 works from his studio in 2024, and the case is being watched as a test of China’s 2018 Law on Protection of Heroes and Martyrs, which was enacted years after the artworks were made. Gao has already been detained for two years, which will count toward his sentence if his appeal fails, following a one-day trial in March, according to a statement posted by his family. Gao, who turned 70 in May and is part of the Gao Brothers duo founded with Gao Qiang in 1985, has drawn international criticism of his detention, including a 2024 petition signed by 181 Chinese cultural figures and objections from the UN and groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Foundation.

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