A Kiwi bar manager charged with insulting Buddhism will be back in a Myanmar court today.

Philip Blackwood, 32, who hails from Wellington, and his two Burmese business partners are accused of religious offences after posting an image of Buddha wearing headphones on social media as part of a promotion for the newly opened VGastro Bar.

The three men had their first court appearance last week where the charges were upheld.

They were denied bail and have been held in a jail in Yangon.

In Myanmar anyone who attempts to insult, destroy or damage any religion can be sentenced to a maximum of two years in jail, with another two years for insulting religion through the written word.

Blackwood grew up in Tawa and studied commerce and science at Victoria University.

He worked as an engineer, including on the Supreme Court renovation, before the recession hit. He took a position at a Myanmar restaurant in 2010, before launching VGastro this month.

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Kiwi back in court over Buddha insult