A New Zealand bar manager and his two Myanmar colleagues were jailed for two and a half years with hard labour by a Yangon court Tuesday for using a Buddha image to promote a cheap drinks night . The ad posted on Facebook in December caused a stir of outrage in the former junta-ruled country , where surging Buddhist nationalism and religious violence has sparked international concern . Philip Blackwood , who worked at the VGastro bar in Yangon , was found guilty of insulting religion along with the bar 's Myanmar owner and manager , after the New Zealander posted a mocked-up photo of the Buddha wearing DJ headphones on Facebook — in reference to a well-known international club brand . The 32-year-old was arrested by Myanmar police in December , along with owner Tun Thurein , 40 , and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin , 26 , after an official from Myanmar 's Religious Department complained about the advertising . The bar has since been shuttered-up . Scroll down for video . Philip Blackwood ( C ) is escorted by police to a court hearing in Yangon . Blackwood and his two Myanmar colleagues were sentenced to two and a half years in jail for using a Buddha image to promote a cheap drinks . In emotional scenes after the verdict , family members of the two Myanmar defendants expressed shock and fury at the sentencing , with the mother of one exchanging barbs with a handful of nationalist monks waiting outside . The case has been watched closely by international observers amid fears that the Buddhist-majority country , which has seen a surge in foreign investment since it began emerging from the grip of the military in 2011 , is seeing its much-lauded reforms stalling . Blackwood , who has a seven month old daughter , along with 40-year-old bar owner Tun Thurein and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin , 26 , have been held in Yangon 's notorious Insein prison since their arrest in December . Mr Blackwood leaves court after being sentenced to two and half years in prison . He was found guilty of insulting Buddhism . Blackwood , the manager of VGastro Bar in Yangon , was arrested after posting a promotional image of a psychedelic Buddha wearing headphones to the bar 's Facebook page . The trio , who all denied the charges , were sentenced to two years in jail for insulting religion through written word or pictures and a further six months for breaching local authority regulations . Both offences carry the punishment of hard labour . They were also held responsible for protests that erupted outside the bar over the image . Judge Ye Lwin said that while Blackwood , 32 , had posted an apology , he had 'intentionally plotted to insult religious belief ' when he uploaded the photo . He added that although the New Zealander had admitted to posting the picture without intending to offend , it was also 'unreasonable only to blame the foreigner ' when explaining the guilty verdicts for the Myanmar defendants . A Buddhist monk tries to take a photo of New Zealander Philip Blackwood as he gets into a police vehicle outside the court . VGastro Bar employee Htut Ko Ko Lwin is escorted to a police vehicle after appearing in court in Yangon on Thursday . The trio could face two years in jail for breaching Myanmar 's Religion Act . Htut Ko Ko Lwin 's mother screamed at a group of monks taking photos with smartphones outside the court after the sentencing . The wife of bar owner Tun Thurein said she would consult her lawyer about appealing . 'They just decided everybody is guilty so I 'm very shocked . This is very unfair , ' Myat Nandar said . Blackwood made no comment as he was bundled into the back of a police truck through a scrum of media cameras . Myanmar has been rocked by several deadly outbreaks of religious violence in recent years , mainly targeting the Muslim minority . The bloodshed has coincided with the rising influence of hardline monks , who have advocated controversial new laws . Rights groups say these would severely curb the freedom of religious minorities and women . V Gastro bar , which opened just two weeks before the incident , swiftly deleted the offending image and posted this apology on its Facebook page . Phil Robertson , deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch , said Tuesday 's sentences showed 'freedom of expression is under greater threat than ever ' in Myanmar , which is gearing up for crucial elections later this year . 'The authorities should accept the heartfelt public apology of the three men , vacate the conviction , and order them to be released immediately and unconditionally , ' he said in a statement . Blackwood 's parents told Fairfax Media from their New Zealand home that they were shocked by the decision and their son would consider an appeal . 'We hoped common sense would prevail and he would be found not guilty because it was not a malicious or intentional act ... ' said father Brian Blackwood . The arrests come during a surge of religious nationalism in Myanmar , a predominantly Buddhist country .
Philip Blackwood was jailed for two and a half years with hard labour . He used a psychedelic image of Buddha which 'insulted the religion ' His colleagues Tun Thurein , recent years , Htut Ko Ko Lwin , 26 , were also jailed . Myanmar has been rocked by acts of religious violence in 40 . The bloodshed has seen hardline monks advocate controversial new laws .