Tourist Sentenced to One Year in Jail in Bali for Filming Video During ‘Day of Silence’

A tourist has been sentenced to one year in jail over a video he filmed on Indonesia’s “Day of Silence” while on vacation in Bali.

Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, a 26-year-old construction worker from Switzerland, was found guilty of violating Indonesian law after posting an Instagram video about Bali’s Day of Silence, known locally as Nyepi.

Nyepi is a Hindu holiday that usually takes place in March. For 24 hours, the Hindu-majority island largely comes to a standstill, with work, travel, public entertainment and electricity use discouraged for both locals and tourists. People are required to remain in their homes or hotels, keep lights dim and minimize noise, and are encouraged to spend the day in quiet meditation.

According to a report by The New York Times, Zgraggen arrived in Bali on February 10 for a vacation. Before Nyepi, which fell on March 19 this year, hotel staff explained the restrictions to him. However, Zgraggen became frustrated that he could not freely leave the hotel to find food.

Zgraggen filmed himself outside in violation of the restrictions and posted the footage to his Instagram Story with a caption reportedly containing expletives. In the video, which has since been removed, Zgraggen reportedly filmed himself walking to an empty beach during Nyepi, smiling at the camera and describing the scene as “crazy.”

Although Zgraggen deleted the video, his posts were widely reposted on social media, prompting condemnation from Balinese residents who considered the footage disrespectful. Indonesian authorities tracked him down following public complaints and arrested him at a villa in Legian, a popular tourist area near Kuta Beach.

On August 21, Zgraggen was convicted at the Denpasar District Court of insulting a religious observance under Indonesia’s new criminal code and sentenced to one year in jail. The offense carries a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment. However, the court considered Zgraggen’s young age and good behavior during the proceedings as mitigating factors.

During his trial, Zgraggen told the court that he had never intended to insult Nyepi or the Balinese people. He says he filmed the video because he was hungry and frustrated that he could not obtain food during the shutdown, and that he had not fully understood the extent of the restrictions.

“I deeply regret what I did. I apologize to the Balinese people,” Zgraggen said in his defense plea.

Previously, PetaPixel reported on how Indonesian authorities have been cracking down on photographers and videographers traveling in Bali on tourist visas, even when they are not being paid for their images.

Image creditsHeader photo licensed via Depositphotos.