Chinese artist Gao Zhen, 69, a member of the internationally recognised Gao Brothers duo known for politically satirical sculptures, was arrested in mid-2024 at his Beijing studio while visiting from the United States, where he has permanent residency. He has since faced a secretive trial on charges of "insulting revolutionary heroes and martyrs" — a law strengthened under President Xi Jinping in 2021 — for works including bronze sculptures depicting Mao Zedong that were publicly exhibited as far back as 2009. The United Nations human rights office has called for his immediate release, warning the case sets a dangerous precedent for the retroactive criminalisation of artistic expression; his brother and co-artist Gao Qiang told the BBC the trial sends an unambiguous message: "Even if a work was made 15 years ago, it can still be turned into a crime if today's political climate changes."