BANGKOK: Myanmar’s military-controlled regime apprehended a Swiss citizen on charges of producing a film that is claimed to have disparaged Buddhism, according to official state media reports on Saturday.
The individual in question, identified as Didier Nusbaumer, aged 52, was arrested on August 8 along with 13 Myanmar nationals, including a 12-year-old girl, as reported by the Myanma Alinn newspaper.
In the context of predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, where religious nationalism has experienced a surge in recent years, insulting Buddhism is considered a punishable offence. Around 90% of the country’s population adheres to the Buddhist faith.
The news report outlined that Nusbaumer was responsible for conceiving, shooting, and editing a 75-minute film titled “Don’t Expect Anything,” which was made public on YouTube on July 24. Portions of the movie were widely disseminated on social media platforms including TikTok and Facebook. These clips drew criticism from Buddhist nationalists within Myanmar.
“The main characters in the film, despite being Buddhist, engaged in improper behavior and exhibited actions and dialogues that undermined the dignity and ethical principles of monks,” the media report detailed.
The report refrained from disclosing the whereabouts of the suspects in custody.
Myanmar has been under military rule since February 2021, following the overthrow of the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
Nusbaumer is not the first foreign national to face detention in Myanmar due to allegations of insulting Buddhism.
In March 2015, a New Zealand citizen was detained alongside two Myanmar nationals and subsequently sentenced to two and a half years of hard labour for perceived blasphemy against Buddhism in an online advertisement featuring an unconventional portrayal of Buddha wearing DJ-style headphones. He was deported the following year.
In October 2016, a Dutch tourist received a three-month prison sentence with hard labour for allegedly insulting Buddhism after unplugging a loudspeaker used by Buddhist monks to broadcast a late-night sermon in Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city. He was deported after completing his sentence.
Similarly, in the same year, a Spanish tourist was expelled from Myanmar after authorities discovered a Buddha tattoo on his leg.
