The Chinese artist Gao Zhen, of wide international recognition, has been sentenced this Tuesday to three years in prison by a court in the city of Sanhe, in the province of Hebei. The judges have found him guilty of the crime of "defaming heroes and martyrs" for a series of satirical works and sculptures created years ago, among which are several pieces dedicated to Mao Zedong.
The Network of Human Rights Defenders, also known as Weiquanwang, has explained in a statement that, although several of Gao's brothers managed to access the hearing, entry was not allowed to representatives of the United States Embassy in China, who had come to follow the process.
Gao, a permanent resident in the United States, was arrested in August 2024, accused of violating Chinese legislation during his stays in the country to visit his family. The trial has been held behind closed doors in Sanhe and the fixed sentence means he must remain in prison until August 25, 2027, considering that he has already spent two years deprived of liberty.
Since his detention, numerous voices from the art world and human rights have demanded his immediate release. Meanwhile, his wife is prohibited from leaving China for "national security" reasons and his son, a U.S. citizen, continues to be unable to return to the United States.
In April, the United Nations expressed its "concern" about the situation of the influential contemporary creator, who was then still awaiting the outcome of the trial.
"This case shows the retroactive use of a law that punishes artistic expression and undermines legality. We are concerned about reports regarding the deterioration of his health under detention and we call on the authorities for his immediate and unconditional release," stated then the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Seif Magango.
The NGO Amnesty International condemned this Tuesday the sentence, which it qualifies as an "assault on artistic freedom" and proof of "the determination of the authorities to contain those who seek independent artistic expression."
"No artist should face punishment for creating work that challenges official narratives or invites reflection on history," stated the director of Amnesty for China, Sarah Brooks, who emphasized that this trial "shows the political motivations with which the laws are used."
According to Brooks, the Chinese judicial system aims to "silence artists, activists, and other individuals who dare to express a stance different from that held by the Chinese Government." He has also emphasized that neither Gao's wife nor his son have committed any crime and, despite this, "they are subject to intimidation and harassment, unable to leave China without being detained."
Amnesty International demands that the conviction be overturned and all charges against the artist be dropped. "He must be immediately released, unconditionally, and the law in question must be repealed to put an end to the criminalization of the peaceful expression of artistic creation," the organization has asserted.