Gao Xian Still Detained by the Chinese Communist Party, Belgian Gallery Exhibits His Works

2025 World Report on Human Rights, China Section Cover Screenshot (Screenshot from Human Rights Watch official website)

[People News] The "Adrian David Gallery-NOW" in Belgium announced that starting from January 18, it is displaying works by the Chinese artist "Gao Brothers," which were collected by Belgian collectors, in order to raise public attention to the "unfair treatment" one of the Gao brothers, Gao Xian, has been facing.

According to Radio Free Asia, a post on the gallery’s Facebook page stated that the Chinese government’s actions of arresting and detaining Gao Xian beyond the legal statute of limitations not only show disrespect but also undermine freedom of speech and artistic expression. This infringement of basic human rights is a disgrace.

Gao Xian has been detained by the Hebei police for over five months. As previously reported by this station, Gao Xian was arrested on August 26, 2024, in Hebei and has been held at a detention center in Sanhe City, Hebei. His family received the detention notice the following day, with the charge being "suspected of insulting the honor of heroes and martyrs." It is believed that this may be related to a sculpture of Mao Zedong created by the Gao brothers several years ago.

As of January 17, Radio Free Asia obtained information that the case against Gao Xian had been submitted by the Sanhe City Procuratorate to the Supreme Procuratorate. However, the Supreme Procuratorate sent the case back to the Sanhe City Procuratorate, which then returned it to the Sanhe Public Security Bureau. It is still unclear why the case was sent back, and it remains uncertain whether the authorities will continue to investigate or prosecute Gao Xian. Gao Xian’s lawyer has submitted a request for bail pending trial to the Sanhe City Procuratorate.