China sentences artist Gao Zhen to three years for satirical Mao sculptures

The Sanhe City People's Court in Hebei Province sentenced Gao Zhen, a 70-year-old New York-based artist known for satirical sculptures of Mao Zedong, to three years' imprisonment — the maximum penalty — for "slandering" China's heroes and martyrs. The trial, held on 25 August 2026, lasted a single day and was closed to the public.