China: Authorities should drop charges against and free artist Gao Zhen

March 12, 2026 Comments Off

Sanhe City Court again postpones detained artist’s trial

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—March 12, 2026) Chinese Human Rights Defenders learned this week that the Sanhe City Court in Hebei Province has postponed—for the third time—the trial of wrongfully detained artist Gao Zhen. Gao, who will soon turn 70, has been held for more than 18 months in pre-trial detention.

“Gao Zhen is being prosecuted solely for exercising his freedom of artistic expression. The charges rely on a contrived and retroactively applied law, turning prosecution into persecution,” said Shane Yi, researcher at Chinese Human Rights Defenders. “By repeatedly postponing the trial, court authorities are compounding these human rights violations and prolonging his legal limbo. The charges should be dropped and Gao Zhen released immediately.”

Sanhe City police detained Gao on August 26, 2024 at his art studio in Yanjiao Town, Hebei Province during a trip to visit extended family. On June 20, 2025, the Sanhe City Procuratorate indicted Gao on the charge of “insulting, defaming, or otherwise infringing on the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs” under Article 299(1) of China’s Criminal Law. This article came into effect on March 1, 2021 and carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. The artworks on which authorities based the charge were created between 2005 and 2009, rendering the application of the law retroactive.

Under China’s Criminal Procedure Law, courts should conclude a trial within three months after accepting a case. His trial has been postponed three times— first from September 10 to December 10, 2025, then to March 10, 2026, and most recently to June 10, 2026. Authorities are using arbitrary procedural grounds to delay the proceedings and prolong his pre-trial detention.

Gao Zhen, who will turn 70 in May 2026, has a number of pre-existing medical conditions, including lumbar spine disease, knee effusion, an eye disease, and chronic hives. His health has deteriorated during detention, also due to inadequate provision of food at the Sanhe City Detention Center.

In addition to detaining Gao, authorities have arbitrarily banned his wife, Zhao Yaliang, and their seven-year-old son, a citizen of the United States, from leaving China.

The right to freedom of expression is guaranteed by China’s Constitution and international human rights law. The retroactive application of the law also violates the principle of legality under international standards. Authorities should immediately and unconditionally drop the charges against Gao Zhen and release him. Authorities should also end their baseless exit ban on Gao’s family members and repeal laws that violate international legal obligations.

For more information, please contact:

Sophie Richardson, Co-Executive Director, Chinese Human Rights Defenders, sophierichardson[at]nchrd.org, +1 917 721 7473

Angeli Datt, Research and Advocacy Coordinator, Chinese Human Rights Defenders, angelidatt[at]nchrd.org, +1 934 444 6155

Shane Yi, Researcher, Chinese Human Rights Defenders, shaneyi[at]nchrd.org