Chinese artist Gao Zhen sentenced to 3 years for satirical Mao artworks

Chinese artist Gao Zhen was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday for defaming national heroes and martyrs through his satirical artworks, a verdict that has drawn international condemnation and raised concerns about the retroactive application of criminal law. The 70-year-old, a U.S. permanent resident and part of the internationally known artistic duo the Gao Brothers, was convicted by the Sanhe City People's Court in Hebei province for works created more than a decade before the relevant law was enacted. Gao was detained in August 2024 while visiting family in China from his home in New York.