Swiss tourist gets 1 year in Indonesia prison for insulting Hindu holiday Nyepi
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Swiss tourist gets 1 year in Indonesia prison for insulting Hindu holiday Nyepi")
This picture taken on August 20, 2026 shows 26-year-old Swiss national Luzian Andrin Zgraggen covering his face at a court in Denpasar, Bali, before judges sentenced him to one year in prison for insulting a Hindu religious day while on holiday on the resort island. Photograph: (AFP)
A Swiss tourist was sentenced to one year in prison by an Indonesian court for insulting the sacred Hindu observance of Nyepi through social media posts.
A Denpasar court in Bali sentenced Swiss tourist Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, to one year in prison on Thursday after finding him guilty of insulting the island's sacred Hindu observance, Nyepi.
The case centred on Instagram posts in which Zgraggen showed himself violating restrictions imposed during the Day of Silence. The Denpasar District Court found that he continued to publish the content after villa staff had explained the rules to him.
Nyepi requires people across Bali to remain indoors, maintain silence and meditate. The annual observance usually takes place in March, with streets and beaches empty except for patrols enforcing the restrictions. Bali's airport closes, and internet access is switched off for the day.
The rules cover residents and visitors regardless of their religion or nationality. People can leave their accommodation only in emergencies.
Zgraggen shared video clips showing him walking towards a beach during the observance. In one post, he described the tradition as “crazy” and used an expletive.
The content spread widely online and angered Balinese residents, who viewed it as disrespectful. Authorities located him after receiving public complaints and arrested him at a villa in Legian near Kuta Beach.
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Presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima said the conduct had caused offence and public anger.
“What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage,” said presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima. “The defendant must be held accountable for his actions.”
Tourist says he did not intend to offend
Zgraggen appeared before the court when his trial began in June. He denied intending to insult either the religious observance or local residents.
He told the court that he became frustrated after being unable to obtain food during the shutdown and said he did not fully understand how extensive the restrictions were.
Indonesia's new criminal code allows a sentence of up to five years for the offence. The court reduced the punishment after considering his age and conduct during proceedings.
“I deeply regret what I did; I apologise to the Balinese people,” Zgraggen said in his defence plea.
Authorities have previously detained tourists for leaving their accommodation during Nyepi, but those incidents generally did not result in prosecution.
