NEW YORK (April 1, 2026) — Today, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) submitted an individual complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on behalf of Chinese dissident artist Gao Zhen, urging the WGAD to declare his detention arbitrary and in violation of international law.
Gao Zhen and his brother, Gao Qiang — known internationally as the Gao Brothers — are celebrated for their bold works critiquing authoritarianism, censorship, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Some of their most famous works include “Miss Mao,” “The Execution of Christ,” and “Mao’s Guilt.” These sculptures are satirical pieces that reinterpret historical paintings to question ideology and mythmaking. These artworks were among the more than 100 pieces seized during a police raid on Gao Zhen’s studio in Sanhe City, China, during his arrest on Aug. 24, 2024.
Gao Zhen is charged under a vague law with “slandering heroes and martyrs.” Notably, the three pieces at issue were all created at least nine years prior to the passing of the law. Applying it retroactively to criminalize Zhen’s artwork shows the lengths to which the CCP is willing to go to silence dissent. Gao Zhen’s trial, delayed three times, took place in a single day on March 30, 2026, suggesting his guilt had been predetermined. He is still awaiting a verdict.
In its WGAD petition, HRF details numerous human rights violations in Gao Zhen’s case, including prolonged solitary confinement, retroactive application of a vague and overly broad law, and denial of medical care. Zhen’s health is worsening every day, and his 70th birthday is next month.
“Gao Zhen’s ‘crime’ is art that challenges the CCP’s tyranny. The Gao Brothers’ work reminds us that artistic freedom cannot be separate from democratic freedom. Art is freedom of expression, a fundamental human right,” said Claudia Bennett, Legal & Program Officer at HRF. “No one should be punished for using their craft to exercise this fundamental human right, especially not under a law that did not exist when the artwork was created. The CCP is becoming increasingly crafty in creating laws to target certain populations and activists, and in this case, artists, so that they can control the narrative.”
HRF calls on the WGAD to investigate Zhen’s case, deem his detention arbitrary and in violation of international law, and request the CCP to immediately and unconditionally release Zhen and allow him and his family to return to their home in New York.
Supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.
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