A court in China's Hebei province sentenced artist Gao Zhen to three years in prison on Tuesday over satirical sculptures of 
Mao Zedong, convicting him of infringing on the reputation of heroes and martyrs. Gao, 70, moved to the United States in 2022 and was detained at his studio outside Beijing during a visit in August 2024, and authorities barred his wife and seven-year-old son from leaving China. The term is the maximum he could have received.
What was the art at issue? The case rested on works Gao made more than a decade ago with his brother Gao Qiang, among them a life-sized sculpture of Mao kneeling in contrition. It also cited a squad of figures resembling Mao holding Jesus Christ at gunpoint and a piece giving the leader large breasts and a Pinocchio-style nose, all three exhibited in 2009, the BBC reported. The court ruled that his work "infringes upon the hero's reputation and harms public interest".
Why has the case drawn criticism? Gao was charged under a law that took effect in March 2018 banning defamation of historical figures associated with the Communist Party, the BBC reported, and his one-day trial earlier this year was held behind closed doors. Amnesty International's China director, Sarah Brooks, said the trial demonstrated "how broadly worded and politically motivated laws are used – and worse, in this case, used retroactively – to silence artists". The offence entered China's criminal code only in 2021, CNA reported. His brother, who spoke to the BBC earlier this year, said: "Even if a work was made 15 years ago, it can still be turned into a crime if today's political climate changes".
How did Washington respond? A State Department spokesperson told Reuters by email that the United States had "significant concerns" about the case and that the alleged conduct took place years before the law used to convict him was enacted, Liberty Times reported. The spokesperson said diplomats from the US embassy in Beijing and several other missions had tried to attend the sentencing but were refused entry by the court.
What happens next? Gao plans to appeal. Because his two years in detention count toward the term, he would be due for release in August 2027 if the verdict is upheld. His health has also drawn concern: he suffers from lumbar spine disease and fluid on the knee, has fainted several times in custody and has had tightly restricted contact with his family since May 2025, CNA reported.
Figures referenced: Mao Zedong. — JudgeMarket.
