——— NEW YORK (Nov. 4, 2024) — The Human Rights Foundation (HRF), along with partners dedicated to artistic freedom, expresses deep concern over the arrest and arbitrary detention of Gao Zhen, a prominent contemporary Chinese artist and a member of the well-known Gao Brothers, a collaborative artist duo. In a letter to the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York and other embassies, we call for his unconditional release.

On Aug. 26, Gao was arrested and detained after 30 police officers conducted a raid on his studio in Yanjiao, a town in the small city of Sanhe, in the northern province of Hebei. He has been held since at the Sanhe City Detention Center on charges of “slandering China’s heroes and martyrs” — a crime punishable by up to three years in prison.

A United States lawful permanent resident, Gao, 68, has made a career out of exposing the horrors of the Cultural Revolution through satirical humor that pushes the boundaries of social commentary. His works are also bold critiques of the Cultural Revolution and former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Mao Zedong and his authoritarian rule of the country.

“These topics are sensitive and considered taboo in today’s CCP-controlled China, yet it is crucial to educate the world on the truth of Mao’s dictatorial legacy,” HRF Chief Advocacy Officer Roberto Gonzalez said. “Mr. Zhen’s detention is not only a violation of his basic rights but also an attack on the fundamental freedoms of all Chinese people, who have the right to learn the truth about dictator Mao Zedong.”

HRF demands Gao Zhen’s immediate and unconditional release as well as the CCP’s repeal of the Heroes and Martyrs Protection Law to safeguard artistic freedom in China.

For press inquiries, please contact media@hrf.org.