Swiss Tourist Jailed For Insulting Hindu Holiday In Bali On Instagram

A 26-year-old Swiss tourist was sentenced to prison for a year after he was found guilty of breaking Indonesian law after he violated a Hindu ritual and insulted it on Instagram. 

Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, a construction worker from Switzerland, filmed a video that he posted to his Instagram story calling the empty beach during the holiday of Nyepi "crazy".

He took a video of himself breaking the restrictions observed during the holiday and posted a caption with expletives, according to local media.

"I made it to the beach. They didn't catch me. It's completely dark. Nobody out here. S*** crazy," he said on social media while recording.

Zgraggen was arrested after the video he shared caused anger among Balinese people on social media.

Nyepi is an annual Balinese holiday, also known as the Day of Silence, when people maintain silence, fast and meditate. The island shuts down completely, and people are required to be home for 24 hours. Everyone in Bali is expected to respect the restrictions irrespective of their religion and tourists.

The internet access is restricted, the island airport shuts down, and even the use of electricity is prohibited.

"What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage," the judge said, the news agency Associated Press reported.

Zgraggen said that he did not understand the seriousness of the restrictions and did not intend to insult the ritual and Balinese people.

"I deeply regret what I did, I apologise to the Balinese people," he said in court, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Bali strictly enforces its cultural laws during Nyepi, and foreign tourists face immediate detention, deportation, or customary fines if they violate these rules.

As international arrivals soar to an all-time record of seven million visitors, Balinese authorities and locals have also experienced a surge in misbehaviour.