News summary — August 31, 2026
Amnesty International reported that the Sanhe City People’s Court in Hebei Province sentenced artist Gao Zhen to three years’ imprisonment on August 25, 2026. Amnesty says the charges concern artworks created a decade or more ago that authorities allege insulted revolutionary figures. Gao Zhen has decided to appeal.
Amnesty also raised concerns about his health, restricted family communication, and an exit ban reportedly affecting his wife.
Why it matters: The case has drawn renewed attention to artistic freedom, political expression, and the use of criminal law against critical art.
Free China 
Leave a comment