Swiss tourist sentenced to one year in prison for insulting Bali's Nyepi

Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, a 26-year-old Swiss national, has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Denpasar District Court in Bali for violating Indonesia’s criminal code. The sentence follows Zgraggen’s decision to post social media videos on Instagram during Nyepi, the sacred Balinese Hindu Day of Silence, on March 19, 2026.

During the 24-hour observance, which requires total silence, no work, and no travel to purify the island, Zgraggen filmed himself walking toward a beach. In the clips, he used profanity and described the religious tradition as “crazy.” The videos sparked widespread public outrage among Balinese residents. Zgraggen claimed in court that he acted out of hunger and frustration due to the total shutdown and did not intend to insult the culture.

The court found him guilty of disseminating defamatory and blasphemous information via information technology. While prosecutors sought a 15-month sentence, judges mitigated the term due to his age, lack of prior criminal record, and expressed remorse. Zgraggen has already served approximately five months in custody, which will be deducted from his total sentence.