The family of a New Zealand man jailed in Myanmar for insulting Buddha is delighted at news he is to be released.
Philip Blackwood, a bar manager from Wellington, was arrested after posting an image of Buddha wearing headphones on the bar's official Facebook page in late 2014.
Opinions in Asia : Burma frees New Zealander jailed for insulting Buddhism in latest prisoner amnesty https://t.co/cD5TDAH2QP
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A complaint was made by an official from the country's religious department.
Two other colleagues from Myanmar (also known as Burma), Tun Thurein and Htut Ko Ko Lwin, were accused alongside Blackwood for "insulting religion".
The bar managers immediately cancelled the advertised event and apologised. But all three were sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail.
Blackwood was being released as part of an amnesty involving 120 prisoners. It was not yet known whether his colleagues had received amnesty.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that Blackwood was on the Myanmar Presidential Amnesty list.
"This is, understandably, of significant relief to his family," a spokesman said.
"MFAT - through the New Zealand Embassy and consular staff - had been providing consular assistance to Blackwood and his family since his first arrest and detention."
Blackwood's mother, Angela Blackwood, said the family was "absolutely delighted" at the happy but unexpected news.
"We weren't expecting it. We're still a bit shell-shocked at the moment and we're just waiting to hear when he will actually be released."
Mrs Blackwood said they had been told her son could be released within 24 hours or up to a week.
"Obviously, paperwork should be cleared. The Myanmar Government has still got his passport."
She said the family had visited their son in June last year. That was the only time they had spoken to him directly, she said, as he was not allowed a phone.
Mrs Blackwood said the New Zealand Embassy and her son's fiance, who lives in Myanmar, had updated them on his condition in prison.
But Amnesty International NZ believed the amnesty did not go far enough because many peaceful activists would remain behind bars.
Spokeswoman Laura Haigh said although the organisation was delighted for those who will walk free, "scores more remain behind bars, while hundreds of other peaceful activists are on bail facing jail time".
Ms Haigh pointed to the case of a local peace activist, Patrick Kum Jaa Lee, who has been sentenced to six months in prison for "online defamation" for a post on Facebook showing someone stepping on a photo of a local prominent military leader.
Ms Haigh said the proposed releases "perfectly sum up how the Myanmar authorities give with one hand and take with the other".
"Just hours after the prisoner amnesty was announced, an activist has been sentenced to six months in jail for nothing but a harmless Facebook post."
