A poster with Lord Buddha with headphones is not a good idea.
A New Zealander and two Burmese men have been found guilty of insulting religion in Myanmar.
Philip Blackwood, who managed the VGastro Bar in Yangon, was arrested in December along with bar owner Tun Thurein and colleague Htut Ko Ko Lwin.
They have each been sentenced to two and a half years in jail.
Burmese law makes it illegal to insult or damage any religion.
Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson told AP that the three men acted in a culturally insensitive way but should not have been sent to prison.
Buddhist nationalism has been on the rise in recent years, with extremist monks such as Wirathu growing in popularity and clashes targeting Muslim minorities, particularly in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- Buddhist nationalism has been on the rise in recent years, with extremist monks such as Wirathu growing in popularity and clashes targeting Muslim minorities, particularly in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
- Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson told AP that the three men acted in a culturally insensitive way but should not have been sent to prison.
- A New Zealander and two Burmese men have been found guilty of insulting religion in Myanmar.
