Bali jails Swiss tourist for insulting sacred Day of Silence

Sentencing for Nyepi video

A court on the Indonesian resort island of Bali has sentenced a Swiss tourist to one year in prison for insulting a sacred Balinese Hindu observance. Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, was found guilty of posting social media messages about the Day of Silence, locally known as Nyepi, according to the South China Morning Post, which reported that the Denpasar District Court determined he posted the messages after staff at the villa where he was staying informed him of the restrictions.

Zgraggen filmed himself walking to an empty beach during Nyepi, describing the scene as "crazy" in a now-removed Instagram video, as reported by BBC and other outlets. He used expletives in the caption and boasted that he had defied the restrictions, according to local media reports cited by BBC and India Today. The video sparked widespread anger among Balinese on social media and led to his arrest in March.

The Day of Silence

Nyepi is an annual Hindu holiday during which the usually bustling tourist island goes quiet, as people stay home and refrain from making loud noises. The restrictions apply to everyone on the island regardless of religion, including tourists. On Nyepi, the airport shuts down, internet access is cut, entertainment events are restricted, and even the use of electricity is discouraged, as reported by BBC and Deutsche Welle. Residents typically stock up on groceries ahead of Nyepi so they can stay at home during the holiday, according to BBC. This year, Nyepi fell on 19 March.

Court proceedings and apology

During the trial in June, Zgraggen told the court he did not understand the extent of the restrictions and did not mean to insult the Balinese. According to Deutsche Welle, he said he made the Instagram posts while hungry and frustrated that he could not find food during the holy day. "I deeply regret what I did, I apologise to the Balinese people," he said, as reported by the Associated Press and cited by several outlets.

Presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima said: "What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage," according to the Associated Press. The judge was also quoted as saying: "The defendant must be held accountable for his actions."

The South China Morning Post reported that Zgraggen was found guilty of violating Indonesia's new criminal code. The court's decision came after the public prosecutor's office said Zgraggen had been informed about the Day of Silence rules by hotel staff when he arrived in Bali in February, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

Detention and sentence

Zgraggen had spent five months in pre-trial detention following his arrest in March, and that period will be deducted from his one-year sentence, as reported by India Today and Deutsche Welle. Swiss authorities said they were providing consular assistance, according to BBC.

Context of tourism concerns

The case comes as Bali deals with rising concerns over tourist behaviour. Last year, the island welcomed a record seven million international visitors, according to BBC. Tourists have previously been detained or deported for violating Nyepi restrictions, and authorities have vowed to tighten scrutiny of unruly foreigners, as reported by BBC and Times Now.