China convicts artist under heroes and martyrs law for sculptures made years before it existed

A Chinese court sentenced 70-year-old US permanent resident Gao Zhen to three years after a secret one-day trial in Hebei. He was convicted under China's heroes and martyrs law — which protects historical figures from defamation — for Mao-satirizing sculptures created around 2010. The law took effect in March 2018. The UN human rights office flagged the case as retroactive prosecution.