Burmese Street Artists Face Blasphemy Charges for COVID-19 Mural

Three street artists from Myanmar—Zayar Hnaung, Ja Sai, and Naw Htun Aung—were arrested and charged under Article 295A of the country's penal code, which addresses blasphemy and carries a potential two-year prison sentence. Their mural, intended as a public health message urging people to stay home during the pandemic, depicted a Grim Reaper-like figure spreading coronavirus. Hardline Buddhist authorities alleged the hooded figure resembled a Buddhist monk, constituting an insult to religious beliefs. Before their detention, the artists painted over the mural after facing extensive online hate speech. Julie Trebault, director of PEN America's Artists at Risk Connection project, condemned the charges, stating they demonstrate how laws criminalizing peaceful speech can be dangerous and are frequently used to silence legitimate public concerns. She called for the charges to be dropped and for such laws to be amended or repealed to align with international free expression guarantees. COVID-19 was first detected in Myanmar on March 20, resulting in five deaths so far. Human Rights Watch warned earlier this month that an estimated 350,000 displaced people across the country are 'sitting in the path of a public health catastrophe.'