Use the following highlights to write an article:

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, 40, Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, were also jailed.
Myanmar has been rocked by acts of religious violence in recent years.
The bloodshed has seen hardline monks advocate controversial new laws.
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.
Använd följande höjdpunkter för att skriva en artikel: Philip Blackwood satt fängslad i två och ett halvt år med straffarbete. Han använde sig av en psykedelisk bild av Buddha som 'insulterade religionen' Hans kollegor Tun Thurein, 40, Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, blev också fängslade. Myanmar har skakats av religiösa våldshandlingar under de senaste åren. Blodsutgjutelsen har sett hårda munkar förespråka kontroversiella nya lagar.
Use the following highlights to write an article: Philip Blackwood was imprisoned for two and a half years in hard labor. He used a psychedelic image of Buddha who 'inulted religion' His colleagues Tun Thurein, 40, Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, were also imprisoned. Myanmar has been shaken by religious violence in recent years. The bloodshed has seen hard monks advocate controversial new laws.
En nyzeeländsk barchef och hans två Myanmar-kollegor fängslades i två och ett halvt år med straffarbete av en Yangon domstol tisdag för att ha använt en Buddha-bild för att främja en billig drinkkväll. Annonsen som publicerades på Facebook i december väckte upprördhet i det tidigare juntastyrda landet, där den spirande buddhistiska nationalismen och det religiösa våldet har väckt internationell oro. Philip Blackwood, som arbetade på VGastro bar i Yangon, befanns skyldig till förolämpande religion tillsammans med barens Myanmar ägare och manager, efter att New Zealander postat en hånad-up foto av Buddha bär DJ hörlurar på Facebook - i hänvisning till en välkänd internationell klubb varumärke. 32-åringen greps av Myanmarpolisen i december, tillsammans med ägaren Tun Thurein, 40, och managern Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, efter att en tjänsteman från Myanmars religiösa avdelning klagat över reklamen. Stapeln har sedan dess varit sluten. Scrolla ner för video. Philip Blackwood (C) eskorteras av polis till en domstolsförhandling i Yangon. Blackwood och hans två Myanmar-kollegor dömdes till två och ett halvt års fängelse för att ha använt en Buddha-bild för att främja en billig dryck. I känslosamma scener efter domen uttryckte familjemedlemmar till de två Myanmar-svarade chock och raseri över domen, varvid modern till en utväxlade hulling med en handfull nationalistiska munkar som väntade utanför. Fallet har bevakats noga av internationella observatörer mitt i rädslan för att landet med buddhistisk majoritet, som har sett en ökning av utländska investeringar sedan det började växa fram ur militärens grepp 2011, ser sin mycket hyllade reformer stagnera. Blackwood, som har en sju månader gammal dotter, tillsammans med 40-årige barägaren Tun Thurein och managern Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, har hållits i Yangons beryktade Inseinfängelse sedan de arresterades i december. Mr Blackwood lämnar domstolen efter att ha dömts till två och ett halvt års fängelse. Han befanns skyldig till att ha förolämpat buddhismen. Blackwood, chefen för VGastro Bar i Yangon, arresterades efter att ha lagt upp en reklambild av en psykedelisk Buddha iförd hörlurar till barens Facebooksida. Trion, som alla förnekade anklagelserna, dömdes till två års fängelse för att ha förolämpat religionen genom skriftliga ord eller bilder och ytterligare sex månader för att ha brutit mot lokala myndighetsbestämmelser. Båda brotten medför straffarbete. De hölls också ansvariga för protester som utbröt utanför baren över bilden. Domare Ye Lwin sade att medan Blackwood, 32, hade skrivit en ursäkt, hade han "avsiktligt konspirerat för att förolämpa religiös tro" när han laddade upp fotot. Han tillade att även om nyzeeländaren hade medgett att han skulle publicera bilden utan att ha för avsikt att förolämpa, var det också "oskäligt att bara skylla på utlänningen" när han förklarade de skyldiga domarna för de åtalade i Myanmar. En buddhistmunk försöker ta ett foto av nyzeeländaren Philip Blackwood när han sätter sig i ett polisfordon utanför hovet. VGastro Bar anställd Htut Ko Ko Lwin eskorteras till ett polisfordon efter att ha uppträtt i rätten i Yangon på torsdag. Trion kan ställas inför två års fängelse för brott mot Myanmars religionslag. Htut Ko Ko Lwins mamma skrek åt en grupp munkar som tog bilder med smartphones utanför hovet efter domen. Hustrun till barägaren Tun Thurein sade att hon skulle rådfråga sin advokat om tilltalande. De har bestämt att alla är skyldiga så jag är väldigt chockad. Detta är mycket orättvist, sade Myat Nandar. Blackwood kommenterade inte när han blev inpackad i en polisbil genom en massa mediakameror. Myanmar har skakats av flera dödliga utbrott av religiöst våld under de senaste åren, främst riktade mot den muslimska minoriteten. Blodsutgjutelsen har sammanfallit med det ökande inflytandet från hardlinemunkar, som förespråkat kontroversiella nya lagar. Rättighetsgrupperna säger att detta allvarligt skulle begränsa religionsfriheten för religiösa minoriteter och kvinnor. V Gastro bar, som öppnade bara två veckor innan händelsen, snabbt ta bort den kränkande bilden och postade denna ursäkt på sin Facebook-sida. Phil Robertson, biträdande chef för Human Rights Watch i Asien, sade att tisdagens domar visade att yttrandefriheten är under större hot än någonsin i Myanmar, som förbereder sig för avgörande val senare i år. "Myndigheterna bör godta de tre männens innerliga offentliga ursäkt, lämna domen och beordra att de omedelbart och villkorslöst friges", sade han i ett uttalande. Blackwoods föräldrar berättade för Fairfax Media från deras nyzeeländska hem att de chockades av beslutet och deras son skulle överväga ett överklagande. "Vi hoppades att sunt förnuft skulle segra och han skulle befinnas inte skyldig eftersom det inte var en illvillig eller avsiktlig handling ..." sade far Brian Blackwood. Arresterna kommer under en våg av religiös nationalism i Myanmar, ett övervägande buddhistiskt land.
A New Zealand bar chief and his two Myanmar colleagues were jailed for two and a half years with hard labor by a Yangon court Tuesday for using a Buddha image to promote a cheap drink night. The ad published on Facebook in December aroused outrage in the previously junta-run country, where the burgeoning Buddhist nationalism and religious violence have raised international concern. Philip Blackwood, who worked at VGastro bar in Yangon, was found guilty of insulting religion along with the bar's Myanmar owner and manager, after New Zealander posted a mocked-up photo of 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 closed. 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 prison for using a Buddha image to promote a cheap drink. In emotional scenes following the verdict, family members of the two Myanmar-answered shock and rage at the verdict, with the mother of an exchanged barbing with a handful of nationalist monks waiting outside. The case has been closely watched by international observers amid fears that the country with a Buddhist majority, which has seen an increase in foreign investment since it began to emerge from the military's grip in 2011, sees its highly acclaimed reforms stagnate. Blackwood, who has a seven-month-old daughter, along with 40-year-old bar owner Tun Thurein and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin, 26, has been held in Yangon's notorious Insein prison since they were arrested in December. Mr. Blackwood leaves the court after being sentenced to two and a half years in prison. He was found guilty of insulting Buddhism. Blackwood, the head of the 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, all of which denied the charges, were sentenced to two years in prison for insulting religion by written words or pictures and another six months for violating local government regulations. Both crimes involve hard labour. They were also held responsible for protests erupting outside the bar over the picture. Judge Ye Lwin said that while Blackwood, 32, had written an apology, he had "intentionally conspired to insult religious faith" when he uploaded the photo. He added that although the New Zealander had admitted that he would publish the image without intending to insult, it was also "unreasonable to blame only the foreigner" when he declared the guilty judges for the defendants in Myanmar. 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 performing in court in Yangon on Thursday. The trio may face two years in prison for violating Myanmar's religious law. Htut Ko Ko Lwin's mother yelled at a group of monks who took pictures of smartphones outside court after the verdict. The wife of bar owner Tun Thurein said she would consult her lawyer on appealing. They've decided everyone is guilty, so I'm very shocked. This is very unfair," said Myat Nandar. Blackwood didn't comment when he got packed into a police car through a bunch of media cameras. Myanmar has been shaken by several deadly outbreaks of religious violence in recent years, mainly targeting the Muslim minority. The bloodshed has coincided with the increasing influence of hardline monks, who advocated controversial new laws. The rights groups say that this would severely restrict religious freedom for religious minorities and women. V Gastro bar, which opened just two weeks before the event, quickly removed the offending image and posted this apology on its Facebook page. Phil Robertson, assistant director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, said Tuesday's sentences showed that freedom of speech is under greater threat than ever in Myanmar, which is preparing for decisive elections later this year. "The authorities should accept the three men's fervent public apology, leave the sentence and order their immediate and unconditional release," 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 not be found guilty because it was not a malicious or deliberate act ..." said Father Brian Blackwood. The arrests come under a wave of religious nationalism in Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist country.