The authorities of the United States have expressed this Wednesday a "significant concern" about the three-year prison sentence imposed by a Chinese court on the artist Gao Zhen, of Chinese origin and with permanent residence in U.S. territory, while reiterating their defense of freedom of expression.
A spokesperson for the State Department noted in statements to Europa Press that the charges brought against the artist --defaming heroes and martyrs, linked to a series of satirical sculptures featuring several of Mao Zedong-- refer to events that occurred "years before the law" under which he has been ultimately convicted was approved.
"The United States continues to support the right to freedom of expression, which includes the expression of this right through art," said the spokesperson, who added that Chinese authorities prevented the entry of diplomats from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing to the court hearing against Gao.
"Several of the diplomatic missions that attempted to oversee the verdict and the issuance of the sentence before the Sanhe court, in Hebei province, on August 25, received a 'no' in response," emphasized the State Department representative.
The artist was arrested in August 2024, suspected of violating Chinese legislation during his stays in the country to visit his family. Following the ruling issued on Tuesday behind closed doors in Sanhe, Gao must remain incarcerated until August 25, 2027, given that he has already spent two years in pretrial detention.
Since his arrest, numerous artists, professionals from the cultural sector, and human rights organizations have demanded his immediate release. Meanwhile, his wife is prohibited from leaving China citing "national security" reasons, and his son, a U.S. citizen, remains unable to return to the United States.
In April, the United Nations had already expressed its "concern" about the situation of the artist, who at that time was still waiting for the judicial process against him to conclude.