An Indonesian court on Thursday sentenced a Swiss tourist to one year in prison after finding him guilty of insulting a sacred Balinese Hindu holiday on social media.
The Denpasar District Court ruled that Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, violated Indonesia’s new criminal code. Judges found that Zgraggen made disrespectful online posts about Nyepi, Bali’s traditional Day of Silence, despite receiving warnings about local rules from staff at his villa.
The holiday, which typically takes place in March, requires residents and visitors to stay indoors, avoid noise, and meditate. During the observance, internet access is turned off across the island, streets and beaches are cleared, and the local airport stops operating.
”What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage,” said presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima. “The defendant must be held accountable for his actions.”
Authorities arrested Zgraggen at a villa in Legian following public complaints. The arrest came after video clips posted to his Instagram account circulated widely online. In the videos, Zgraggen smiled for the camera, used an expletive to describe the tradition, and called the custom “crazy.” He also bragged about breaking the rules by walking to a beach.
While past incidents involving tourists breaking Nyepi rules were usually settled without legal charges, Zgraggen faced formal prosecution after his posts sparked widespread anger among local residents.
Zgraggen expressed remorse during his trial, which started in June. He testified that he did not mean to offend the Balinese community or their faith. He explained that he made the posts because he felt hungry and frustrated over the lack of open food services during the island-wide shutdown, adding that he did not completely understand the rules.
”I deeply regret what I did, I apologize to the Balinese people,” Zgraggen said in his defense plea.
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