Swiss tourist jailed in Bali for insulting sacred Day of Silence

A court in Bali has sentenced Swiss tourist Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, to one year in prison for insulting the sacred Hindu holiday of Nyepi, also known as the Day of Silence. The Denpasar District Court found him guilty of violating Indonesia's new criminal code by posting social media messages that denigrated the observance, during which residents and visitors must stay indoors, refrain from noise, and avoid internet use Source: AP News.

The offense

Zgraggen filmed himself walking to a beach during Nyepi, which fell on 19 March this year, and posted videos on Instagram with profane captions, calling the tradition "crazy" Source: BBC. The posts sparked widespread anger among Balinese, leading to his arrest in March at a villa in Legian Source: Euronews. The court determined that he had been informed of the restrictions by villa staff before the posts Source: South China Morning Post.

The reaction

Presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima stated, "What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage" Source: DW News. During his trial, Zgraggen apologized, saying he did not intend to insult the holiday and made the posts while hungry and frustrated Source: CNN. He has spent five months in pre-trial detention, which will be deducted from his sentence Source: DW News.

Context

Nyepi is an annual day of silence when Bali's airport shuts down and internet access is cut, with restrictions applying to everyone regardless of religion or nationality Source: AP News. While tourists have previously been detained for violating Nyepi, such cases were usually resolved without prosecution Source: Euronews. The sentencing comes amid broader concerns about tourist misbehavior on the island, which welcomed a record seven million visitors last year Source: BBC.