Overview
- Gao Zhen, a 70-year-old artist and U.S. permanent resident, was handed the maximum three-year prison term for “infringing upon the reputation of heroes” after a Sanhe City court ruling that his wife and rights groups reported.
- The conviction cites satirical works of Mao Zedong created between 2005 and 2009, and critics say officials applied laws strengthened in 2021 to material produced before those changes.
- Gao was tried in a closed, one-day hearing earlier this year, and U.S. diplomats were denied entry to the sentencing, prompting the State Department to express significant concerns.
- His wife and son have faced official exit bans and reported harassment that have kept them in China since his 2024 detention, and rights groups warn these measures amount to collective pressure on the family.
- Advocates have raised alarms about Gao’s health in custody, he has said he will appeal, and international rights organizations including Amnesty and CHRD have called for his release and for repeal or narrowing of the law.