- Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, a Swiss tourist, was sentenced to one year in prison by the Denpasar District Court for insulting the sacred Day of Silence in Bali.
- Zgraggen was found guilty of violating Indonesia's new criminal code by posting social media messages that mocked the Day of Silence, which requires people to stay home and remain silent.
- The court determined that Zgraggen posted the messages even after villa staff informed him of the restrictions in place during the observance.
- Judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima stated that Zgraggen's actions offended the Balinese people and provoked public outrage.
- Zgraggen's posts included videos where he described the tradition as 'crazy' and used an expletive, which were widely condemned by Balinese residents.
- He was arrested at a villa in Legian after authorities tracked him down following public complaints.
- During his trial, which began in June, Zgraggen apologized, claiming he did not intend to insult the holiday.
- The Day of Silence, known as Nyepi, usually falls in March and is a day when the island's beaches and streets are empty, with the airport shutting down and the internet switched off.
- The restrictions during Nyepi apply to everyone, regardless of religion or nationality, and prohibit leaving homes except for emergencies.
- While authorities have previously detained tourists for venturing outside during Nyepi, those cases were generally resolved without prosecution.
A Swiss tourist, Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, was sentenced to one year in prison by the Denpasar District Court for insulting Bali's sacred Day of Silence, known as Nyepi.19
Zgraggen was found guilty of violating Indonesia's new criminal code after posting social media messages that mocked the observance, which requires silence and meditation.2
Despite warnings from villa staff about the restrictions, he shared videos on Instagram, calling the tradition “crazy” and using an expletive.3
“What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage,” said presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima.4
The Day of Silence, which usually occurs in March, sees Bali's beaches and streets empty, with the airport shutting down and internet access disabled.
The restrictions apply to everyone, regardless of religion or nationality.10
Zgraggen's posts triggered widespread condemnation from locals, leading to his arrest at a villa in Legian after authorities received public complaints.7
During his trial, Zgraggen claimed he did not intend to insult the holiday and was frustrated by the inability to obtain food during the shutdown. “I deeply regret what I did, I apologize to the Balinese people,” he stated in his defense.
While previous cases of tourists violating Nyepi have been resolved without prosecution, Zgraggen's actions were deemed serious enough to warrant a prison sentence.11
“The Denpasar District Court ruled that Zgraggen violated Indonesia's new criminal code, noting he posted after villa staff informed him of restrictions. Judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima said the posts 'offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage.'”
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