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Swiss tourist sentenced to one year in Bali for insulting Hindu day
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- A Swiss tourist, Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, was sentenced to one year in prison by a Bali court for insulting the sacred Balinese Hindu Day of Silence, known as Nyepi, through social media posts.
- Zgraggen violated Indonesia’s new criminal code by posting videos and messages showing him defying Nyepi restrictions, which require people to stay home, remain silent, and avoid public activity for a day.
- The court ruled that his actions offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith, and provoked public outrage, emphasizing that the restrictions apply to all residents and visitors regardless of religion or nationality.
- During his trial, Zgraggen apologized and claimed he did not intend to insult the holiday, explaining that he was frustrated and hungry during the shutdown and did not fully understand the rules.
- Previous cases of tourists breaking Nyepi rules were typically resolved without prosecution, making this sentencing a notable enforcement of the new criminal code.
