After the sentence was handed down, Htut Ko Ko Lwin’s mother screamed at monks who were gathered outside the court and taking photos. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA
The families of two Myanmar nationals who were sentenced along with a New Zealander to two and a half years in prison expressed their shock at the “unfair” verdict outside court on Tuesday morning, with one of the defendant’s mothers confronting a group of monks.
Philip Blackwood, 32, Tun Thurein, 40, and Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, who all worked at the VGastro bar in Yangon, were convicted of insulting religion with a mocked-up photo of the Buddha wearing headphones posted on Facebook in December. They were sentenced to two years for the offense and an extra six months for illegally operating a bar past 10pm, according to the New York Times.
After the sentences – which include hard labour – were handed down, Htut Ko Ko Lwin’s mother screamed at monks who were gathered outside the court and taking photos, the Associated Press reported.
Religious tensions in Myanmar have rocketed in past years, as a hardline movement known as 969 has bolstered Buddhist nationalism across the country.
In his ruling, Judge Ye Lwin said that while Blackwood had posted an apology for the image, he had “intentionally plotted to insult religious belief”.
He added that it was “unreasonable only to blame the foreigner” and so also had to convict Tun Thurein and Htut Ko Ko Lwin.
Myat Nandar, the wife of bar owner Tun Thurein, told the press that Blackwood had acted alone.
“[The court] just decided everyone’s guilty. I’m very shocked and this is very unfair.
“How can we trust the court?”
Tuesday’s verdict was condemned by multiple human rights organisations who called for the immediate release of the men.
“It is ludicrous that these three men have been jailed simply for posting an image online to promote a bar,” said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s Research Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, in a statement.
“The shrinking space for religious freedom is deeply worrying, as is the growing influence of rhetoric by hardline Buddhist nationalist groups. Authorities should do all they can to reverse this disturbing trend – not seek to inflame the situation further by pursuing cases like this.”
