Authorities have detained an obscure Chinese artist after he posted a humorous portrait of President Xi Jinping online, his wife has said.
Judy Zhu on Thursday said police detained her husband, Dai Jianyong, near their Shanghai home on Tuesday and accused him of "creating a disturbance".
Dai is known for posting eclectic photos on social media, including some showing himself and others scrunching up their lips and eyes. Dai posted images of Xi with the same expression while wearing a moustache.
Dai faces up to five years in prison if convicted. Shanghai police didn't answer phone calls on Thursday.
Chinese artists have long walked a fine line regarding what they can express without getting into trouble with authorities.
Posting politically sensitive work online has become more clearly forbidden, especially under Xi's more hard-line rule.
The clampdown has also ensnared citizen activists who have posted eyewitness video and other information deemed embarrassing to authorities, including activist Wu Gan, who was formally detained on Wednesday after drawing attention to government land seizures and alleged police brutality.
Share
