Chinese dissident artist Gao Shen has been sentenced to three years in prison by the Chinese authorities for his sculpture work satirizing the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong. The United States Department of State has expressed “serious concerns” about Gao Shen’s case.
Gao Shen, 70 years old and based in New York, is known for his creation of sculptures that satirize Mao Zedong. He was detained during a visit back to China from the United States in August 2024 and underwent a one-day closed-door trial earlier this year.
On Tuesday, August 25, the Hebei Province Sanhe City Court sentenced Gao Shen to three years in prison for the so-called “defamation of the reputation of heroes and martyrs” crime. The U.S. side has noted that American diplomats were denied entry to the sentencing hearing.
“We express deep concerns regarding the case of Gao Shen and note that the actions involved in the case occurred before the laws under which he was convicted were promulgated,” a State Department spokesperson said in an email statement to Reuters.
“The United States continues to support the right to freedom of speech, including the expression of freedom through art forms,” the spokesperson added.
Currently, Gao Shen’s wife is still under control, with the Chinese authorities preventing her from leaving China under the pretext of “national security.” Chinese police have also warned Gao Shen’s wife not to discuss her husband’s detention with the media.
Both Gao Shen and his wife are Chinese citizens, as well as U.S. permanent residents. Their 7-year-old son is a U.S. citizen but is still unable to return to New York for school.
“Diplomats from the U.S. Embassy in China and several other diplomatic missions attempted to observe the sentencing hearing held on August 25 in Sanhe City, Hebei Province,” a State Department spokesperson said. “Court staff refused to allow them to enter the hearing venue.”
On August 26, 2024, Gao Shen returned to China with his wife and child to visit and was criminally detained on suspicion of “defaming the reputation of heroes and martyrs.” He was later arrested and prosecuted. On December 14, 2025, Gao Shen’s lawyer’s application for bail was rejected. On March 30, 2026, Gao Shen’s case was secretly heard in a Sanhe City court, with authorities not allowing family members to attend, and no verdict was announced that day.
The “U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China” (CECC) released its annual report on December 10, 2025, stating that the Chinese Communist Party continues to be ranked as one of the worst human rights violators in various international assessments. The report mentioned that under the Chinese Communist Party’s rule, the criminal justice system has become a “political tool.” Dissidents may be arbitrarily detained in “black jails,” such as mental hospitals, without formal legal procedures, and may endure torture and other forms of abuse.