Monday, 26 September 2016 - 11:40
Dutch tourist arrested in Myanmar for disrupting holy ritual
A 30-year-old Dutch man was arrested in Myanmar on Friday after he disrupted a Buddhist ritual. He unplugged a amplifier used to amplify a sermon by Buddhist monks, local newspaper Myanmar Times reports.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the arrest to news wire ANP.
According to the news wire, the man and his girlfriend were touring the world. They were sleeping in a hotel in Myanmar when the noise of the sermon woke them. The man angrily stalked out of the hotel, entered the holy place where the ritual was held and unplugged the amplifier.
Soldiers had to protect the man from an angry mob, who surrounded the hotel and demanded that the man be handed over.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with the man, his girlfriend and the local authorities. According to the Ministry, no official charges were filed as yet. On Monday the decision will be made whether the man will be prosecuted or just fined.