New Zealander Philip Blackwood arrived home in New Zealand after being released from a Myanmar prison after being charged with insulting the Buddhist religion, according to 3News on January 29.
Blackwood, 33, arrived home after being released from Insein prison after a year as part of President Thein Sein’s presidential prisoner amnesty.
The Gastro Bar owner, together with local owner Tun Thurein, 40, and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, were charged with breaching the Religion Act after Blackwood posted a promotional poster on Facebook in 2014 in which Buddha was shown wearing headphones. The image was up for a day before Blackwood took it down and issued an apology. He and his two Myanmar colleagues were found guilty of insulting religion and were sentenced to two-and-a-half years' hard labour.
Speaking to New Zealand media, Blackwood said he had no animosity to Myanmar, despite having reportedly suffered under the harsh conditions in the jail.
“They could have put me in a five-star hotel and it would be just as hard. But obviously it wasn’t a five-star hotel,” Blackwood told 3News.
“Just like to say thanks to everyone, we have a lot of thanking to do,” he told media, following a long campaign by well-wishers for his release.
Amnesty International, which had lobbied for his release, said it was delighted Blackwood was back home.