A 26-year-old man from Switzerland has been sentenced to one year in prison in Indonesia’s Bali for insulting the Hindu festival of Nyepi, or the Day of Silence, after filming himself breaking its restrictions and making derogatory remarks about it on social media, BBC reported.

On Nyepi, people across Bali, a predominantly Hindu island in Muslim-majority Indonesia, are required to stay indoors, refrain from work and avoid entertainment and loud activity. The restrictions apply to everyone, including tourists. The festival fell on March 19 this year.

Luzian Andrin Zgraggen told a Denpasar court in June that he made the video out of hunger and frustration after failing to find food during the holy day. He said he did not understand the restrictions, regretted his actions and apologised to the Balinese people for mocking their religious traditions, according to BBC. “I deeply regret what I did. I apologise to the Balinese people,” he said.

Zgraggen was arrested in March after videos he posted on Instagram sparked widespread anger and complaints to police. In one now-deleted video, he filmed himself walking to an empty beach during Nyepi and described the scene as “crazy”, while using an expletive in a caption, local media reported.

The Swiss tourist had been informed about the restrictions by hotel staff after arriving in Bali in February.

Presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima said Zgraggen’s actions had offended Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage. “The defendant must be held accountable for his actions,” the judge said, according to The Associated Press.

Zgraggen had spent five months in pre-trial detention following his arrest, and that period will be deducted from his one-year sentence. Swiss authorities said they were providing him with consular assistance, BBC reported.

The annual observance of Nyepi sees Bali’s international airport shut down, while internet access is restricted, entertainment events are curtailed and the use of electricity is discouraged. Streets and beaches normally bustling with tourists remain empty, with only special patrols operating to ensure the rules are followed.

SIGNIFICANCE OF NYEPI

Nyepi is observed across Bali, when the Hindu-majority island effectively comes to a standstill for 24 hours. Residents traditionally stock up on food beforehand and remain at home during the observance.

Tourists are also expected to follow the restrictions, despite being exempt from some religious aspects of the festival. The airport shuts down and normal movement around the island is halted. Several tourists have previously been detained or deported for violating Nyepi restrictions.

The Swiss tourist’s case came as Bali deals with rising concerns over tourist behaviour. The island welcomed a record seven million international visitors last year, according to the BBC, but authorities have increasingly faced complaints over foreigners violating local customs, behaving offensively at religious sites and breaking traffic laws.

Balinese authorities have vowed to increase scrutiny of tourists and crack down on unruly behaviour.

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Published By:

Prateek Chakraborty

Published On:

Aug 23, 2026 11:29 IST