
Indonesian authorities ordered the expulsionof a Russian touristwho was seen stripping off his clothes on top of a mountainheld sacred by country's minority Hindu population.
A picture of the man posing with his pants down went viral last week.
The man has been identified by his first name Yuri. He has been banned from re-entering Indonesia for next six months. Yuri has reportedly apologised in the row but given the sentimental volatility related to the mountain top, the action by Indonesian authorities has ensued.
Indonesia has recently increased efforts to crack down on foreign tourists seen behaving badly.
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"He violated norms and showed no respect for our culture," Bali Law and Human Rights Office head Anggiat Napitupulu told The Jakarta Post.
Bali's Mount Agung mountain top is held sacred by Indonesian Hindus.
Mount Agung literally means 'The Great Mountain'. It is regarded as the home of Mahadeva, a manifestation of Lord Shiva. Legend has it that the mountain was formed when the Hindu god Pashupati split Mount Meru, the Hindu axis of the universe, and created Mount Agung from a fragment.
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Pura Besakih, known as the 'Mother Temple', a complex of 23 temples located more than 3,000 feet high on the slopes of Mount Agung holds special importance. It is devoted to Naga Besukianm or 'Lord Shiva’s snake'.
On Tuesday, a top immigration official called for a "no compromise" policy in handling foreign nationals caught up in legal issues, according to The Jakarta Post.
In January 2023, Russia was the second largest contributor of foreign tourists in Bali, with about 22,000 citizens visiting Bali that month.
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