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

Published August 19, 2023 12:27 AM

BANGKOK (AP) — A Swiss citizen has been arrested in military-ruled Myanmar for creating a film that allegedly insulted Buddhism. State newspaper Myanma Alinn reported Saturday that Didier Nusbaumer, 52, was arrested on Aug. 8 along with 13 Myanmar nationals, including a 12-year-old girl. 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 country has been run by its army since February 2021, when the it seized power from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Other foreigners in recent years have also been detained and imprisoned in Myanmar for insulting Buddhism.

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