Swiss tourist sentenced to a year in jail for insulting Bali’s sacred Day of Silence
The court said Luzian Andrin Zgraggen kept posting after staff explained Nyepi rules, and public complaints led to his arrest.
- On Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, the Denpasar District Court sentenced Swiss tourist Luzian Andrin Zgraggen to one year in prison for insulting Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, in social media posts.
- Zgraggen boasted on Instagram about defying restrictions requiring residents and visitors to remain home, continuing to post even after villa staff informed him of the rules.
- In video clips shared online, Zgraggen described the sacred tradition as "crazy" and used an expletive, triggering condemnation from Balinese residents who considered the posts disrespectful.
- During his trial, Zgraggen apologized, claiming he was hungry and frustrated, but presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima asserted the defendant's actions offended the Balinese people.
- While authorities have previously detained tourists for venturing outside during Nyepi, those cases were generally resolved without prosecution, marking a shift under Indonesia's new criminal code.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Bali jails Swiss tourist for insulting sacred Day of Silence
A court on the Indonesian resort island of Bali sentenced a Swiss tourist on Thursday to one year in prison for insulting a sacred Balinese Hindu observance. Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, was found guilty of violating Indonesia’s new criminal code by posting social media messages about the Day of Silence, when people are required to stay home and are urged to remain silent and meditate. The Denpasar District Court determined that he posted the mes…
The Toronto Star
Swiss tourist sentenced to a year in jail for insulting Bali’s sacred Day of Silence
DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A court on the Indonesian resort island of Bali sentenced a Swiss tourist on Thursday to one year in prison for insulting a sacred Balinese Hindu observance.
A court in Denpasar accused 26-year-old Luzian Z. of violating the Indonesian Criminal Code with insulting social media posts. He had publicly mocked Nyepi's holy rest day.
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