Swiss national arrested in military-ruled Myanmar for allegedly insulting Buddhism in film

Source: Associated Press

Swiss national arrested in military-ruled Myanmar for allegedly insulting Buddhism in film

Updated 3:27 AM EDT, August 19, 2023

BANGKOK (AP) — A Swiss citizen was arrested in military-ruled Myanmar for creating a film that allegedly insulted Buddhism, state media reported Saturday.

Didier Nusbaumer, 52, was arrested on Aug. 8 along with 13 Myanmar nationals, including a 12-year-old girl, Myanma Alinn newspaper said.

Insulting Buddhism is a punishable offense in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where religious nationalism has surged in recent years. About 90% of Myanmar people are Buddhist.

The news report said that Nusbaumer wrote, filmed and edited the 75-minute movie “Don’t Expect Anything,” which was posted on YouTube on July 24. Short clips from the movie spread on social media including on TikTok and Facebook, drawing rebukes from Buddhist nationalists in Myanmar.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-swiss-national-insulting-buddhism-arrested-c94775adebc48483775fc3f0b1cc0617