Chinese artist under fire for old jokes

A Chinese artist known for poking fun at Mao Zedong is now staring down a prison sentence under a law that didn’t even exist when his controversial pieces were made. Sources report Gao Zhen was quietly tried in late March for “dishonoring national heroes and martyrs. ” Critics say this charge flips legal logic on its head, punishing someone for past behavior that was legal at the time. The timing raises eyebrows. The law in question only appeared years after Gao finished his sculptures, yet it’s being used to judge work from over a decade ago.His wife Zhao Yaliang and a rights group researcher named Shane Yi say Gao could receive up to three years behind bars. He’s been locked up since a visit from the U. S. last year while awaiting news of a verdict that still hasn’t arrived. A single-day trial wrapped in Hebei province without a decision. Court watchers note verdicts in such cases often drag on for months after the hearing. International observers warn the situation shows how language once used for humor can later turn into a weapon against those who made the jokes.