China: Dissident artist jailed for satirical Mao sculptures
Key Points:
- Chinese court sentenced dissident artist Gao Zhen to three years in prison for sculptures satirizing Mao Zedong, including works created in 2005 and 2009.
- Gao, based in New York, was arrested during a Beijing visit in August 2024 and found guilty of "infringing upon the reputation of heroes" under a 2018 law protecting heroes and martyrs.
- Gao's wife and son have been barred from leaving China since his detention, and the trial was held behind closed doors in a single day.
- Human rights advocates and Amnesty International condemned the sentence as a violation of freedom of expression and called for Gao's immediate release.
- The artworks include "Mao's Guilt," a bronze statue of Mao kneeling remorsefully, and the "Miss Mao" caricature series depicting Mao with exaggerated features.