World News

Chinese artist Gao Zhen sentenced to three years over satirical Mao Zedong sculptures

A court in Hebei province convicted the U.S.-based artist under a 2018 law banning the defamation of official national heroes and martyrs.

Updated Aug 25, 2026 · 13:49 UTC3 reports

The short version

Chinese artist Gao Zhen was sentenced to three years in prison by a court in Hebei province for infringing upon the reputation of China's heroes and martyrs.
The conviction stems from satirical sculptures depicting former leader Mao Zedong that Gao created over a decade before the relevant law was passed in 2018.
Gao, a U.S. permanent resident who was arrested while visiting China in August 2024, plans to appeal the court's verdict.

The Sanhe People's Court in Hebei province sentenced 70-year-old artist Gao Zhen to three years in prison, the maximum term for the offense.[The Guardian · Associated Press · ABC News]
Gao was convicted under a law enacted in March 2018 that criminalizes slandering or defaming China's official heroes and martyrs.[The Guardian · ABC News]
The prosecution cited satirical artworks created years before the law was implemented, including the 2009 sculpture Mao's Guilt and the Miss Mao caricature series.[The Guardian · Associated Press · ABC News]
Gao is a Chinese citizen and U.S. permanent resident who was detained in August 2024 during a family trip to China.[The Guardian · Associated Press · ABC News]
Gao's wife stated that he intends to appeal the decision, while human rights organizations condemned the verdict as an infringement on artistic expression.[The Guardian · Associated Press · ABC News]

It is unclear whether Chinese courts will count Gao's pre-trial detention toward his three-year prison sentence.[Associated Press · ABC News]