Swiss tourist jailed in Bali for insulting Hindu holiday
The 26-year-old was given a one-year prison sentence for offensive remarks posted on Instagram. During the trial, he apologized to the Balinese people for denigrating the Day of Silence and said he regretted his actions.
A Swiss tourist has been sentenced to one year in prison on the Indonesian island of Bali after making derogatory remarks about the sacred Hindu holiday Nyepi, also known as the Day of Silence. The 26-year-old man was found guilty of posting videos on Instagram boasting about breaking the holiday's rules and walking to a beach during the observance.
He also criticized the tradition, calling it "crazy" and using profanity. The judge in Denpasar stated that the defendant's actions offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith, and provoked public outrage. The man, who had been informed about the holiday's rules by hotel staff, was arrested in March following the viral videos.
During the trial, he claimed he did not fully understand the extent of the restrictions and apologized for his behavior. The defendant has spent five months in pre-trial detention, which will be subtracted from his one-year sentence. Swiss authorities are providing consular assistance to the man.
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