Swiss tourist Luzian Andrin Zgraggen has been sentenced to one year in prison on the Indonesian island of Bali for insulting a sacred local Hindu holiday in a social media post, AP News reported.
A court in Bali found the 26-year-old Swiss national guilty on Thursday, August 20, of violating the criminal code of Indonesia after public outrage over his online video led to his arrest.
The conviction followed a post Zgraggen published online in which he boasted about defying local holiday restrictions during Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence. In the post, the European tourist smiled into the camera while walking along a deserted beach, called the local religious tradition crazy, and used an expletive.
The video spread rapidly across social media platforms and sparked widespread anger among residents of the island. Following public complaints, police tracked Zgraggen down and arrested him at a rented villa located in a popular tourist area near Kuta Beach.
Court Ruling and Defendant Apology
Presiding Judge Cokorda Putra Budhi Pastima said the defendant's actions had insulted the Balinese people, offended their faith, and caused public outrage. He ruled that the defendant had to take legal responsibility for his behavior.
During the court proceedings, Zgraggen admitted his actions but said he had not intended to display disrespect toward the sacred holiday. He said he had been frustrated at being unable to buy food because local businesses were closed, adding that he regretted his conduct and apologized to the residents of Bali.
Rules of the Day of Silence
Nyepi is an annual Hindu religious holiday celebrated on Bali, during which all residents and visitors are legally required to remain indoors for 24 hours. The strict regulations apply to everyone on the resort island, regardless of their nationality or religious background.
During the 24-hour observance, public streets and beaches across Bali remain completely empty. The island's international airport closes all flights, commercial establishments cease operations, and internet services are disabled island-wide.
Bali is a famous island province in Indonesia, a Southeast Asian country where religious defamation and public disturbance are strictly regulated under the national criminal code.
Previous Holiday Violations
Zgraggen is not the first foreign visitor to be detained on Bali for failing to comply with the rules governing the Day of Silence.
Earlier, another foreign tourist was detained by authorities after violating Nyepi regulations. That individual was forced to leave his hotel room and go out onto the street because his stay had expired during the island-wide lockdown.
