New
Zealand bar manager Philip Blackwood (C) is escorted by police to court
in Yangon on March 17, 2015, where he was sentenced to two and a half
years in jail for using a Buddha image to promote a cheap drinks night
Yangon
(AFP) - A New Zealand bar manager and his two Myanmar colleagues were
jailed for two and a half years with hard labour by a Yangon court
Tuesday for using a Buddha image to promote a cheap drinks night.
The
ad posted on Facebook in December caused a stir of outrage in the
former junta-ruled country, where surging Buddhist nationalism and
religious violence has sparked international concern.
Philip
Blackwood, who worked at the VGastro bar in Yangon, was found guilty of
insulting religion along with the bar's Myanmar owner and manager,
after the New Zealander posted a mocked-up photo of the Buddha wearing
DJ headphones on Facebook — in reference to a well-known international
club brand.
In
emotional scenes after the verdict, family members of the two Myanmar
defendants expressed shock and fury at the sentencing, with the mother
of one exchanging barbs with a handful of nationalist monks waiting
outside.
The
case has been watched closely by international observers amid fears
that the Buddhist-majority country, which has seen a surge in foreign
investment since it began emerging from the grip of the military in
2011, is seeing its much-lauded reforms stalling.
Blackwood,
who has a seven month old daughter, along with 40-year-old bar owner
Tun Thurein and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, have been held in Yangon's
notorious Insein prison since their arrest in December.
The
trio, who all denied the charges, were sentenced to two years in jail
for insulting religion through written word or pictures and a further
six months for breaching local authority regulations. Both offences
carry the punishment of hard labour.
New
Zealand bar manager Philip Blackwood (C) sits in the back of a police
vehicle after a court hearing in Yangon on March 17, 2015
They were also held responsible for protests that erupted outside the bar over the image.
- 'Intentional plot' -
Judge
Ye Lwin said that while Blackwood, 32, had posted an apology, he had
"intentionally plotted to insult religious belief" when he uploaded the
photo.
He
added that although the New Zealander had admitted to posting the
picture without intending to offend, it was also "unreasonable only to
blame the foreigner" when explaining the guilty verdicts for the Myanmar
defendants.
Htut Ko Ko Lwin's mother screamed at a group of monks taking photos with smartphones outside the court after the sentencing.
The wife of bar owner Tun Thurein said she would consult her lawyer about appealing.
"They just decided everybody is guilty so I'm very shocked. This is very unfair," Myat Nandar said.
Blackwood made no comment as he was bundled into the back of a police truck through a scrum of media cameras.
Speaking
to reporters after the ruling, monk Tayza Wunta, of a Myanmar
nationalist monks' union, said he did not particularly relish the
verdict.
"I do not want anyone of any nationality to be punished," he said.
- Communal violence -
Myanmar
has been rocked by several deadly outbreaks of religious violence in
recent years, mainly targeting the Muslim minority.
The
bloodshed has coincided with the rising influence of hardline monks,
who have advocated controversial new laws. Rights groups say these would
severely curb the freedom of religious minorities and women.
New
Zealand bar manager Philip Blackwood (C) is escorted by police as he
leaves court in Yangon on March 17, 2015 where he was sentenced to two
and a half years in jail for using a Buddha image to promote a cheap
drinks night
Phil
Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said Tuesday's
sentences showed "freedom of expression is under greater threat than
ever" in Myanmar, which is gearing up for crucial elections later this
year.
"The
authorities should accept the heartfelt public apology of the three
men, vacate the conviction, and order them to be released immediately
and unconditionally," he said in a statement.
Blackwood's
parents told Fairfax Media from their New Zealand home that they were
shocked by the decision and their son would consider an appeal.
"We
hoped common sense would prevail and he would be found not guilty
because it was not a malicious or intentional act..." said father Brian
Blackwood.
VGastro,
a tapas restaurant and nightclub in an upmarket neighbourhood, was shut
shortly after the contentious poster came to light, even though
management quickly withdrew the ad and apologised for their "ignorance"
in using the Buddha's image.
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