A Rangoon court has upheld charges of insulting religion against a New Zealand bar manager and his two Burmese colleagues, after the bar used an image on its Facebook page depicting Buddha wearing headphones.
General manager of VGastro.bar, Philip Blackwood, 32, from Wellington, as well as owner Tun Thurein, 40, and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, were arrested on December 10 after the image resulted in a backlash on social media and a complaint was made by an official from the country's religious department. The bar managers immediately cancelled the advertised event and apologised.
The trio appeared in a Rangoon court on Thursday to hear the charges against them. They will be charged under sections 295, 295-A and 188 of the country's Penal Code. The first two are related to insulting, destroying or damaging religion and carry a maximum sentence of two years' jail.
Mr Blackwood pleaded not guilty, according to his lawyer Mya Thway.
All three were denied bail and will appear in court again on December 26. Oliver Slow
